Harry Potter and the Return to Godric's Hollow
by Erin10
Summary: HBP SPOILERS! Join Harry and Co. for his seventh year of chaos as he struggles with his destiny, and a Dark Lord on hot on his heels! AD still holds a few secrets even from the grave and the Potter family has more than a few suprises that'll crop up too!
1. Chapter One

**Harry Potter and the Return to Godric's Hollow by Erin10.**

**Spoiler Warning: -** This fiction contains spoilers from HPB. If you haven't read HBP, don't read my fic! It won't make sense and I don't want to spoil HBP for anyone! Consider yourself warned! I won't be held responsible if you read this and then complain that I spoilt the book for you!

**Disclaimer: -** Everything belongs to J.K Rowling! I own nothing! This is written purely for my own enjoyment, after the last book my sanity depends on it!

**"I Will Be".**

_The world seems so cold  
When I face so much all alone  
A little scared to move on  
And knowing how fast I have grown_

_And I wonder just where I fit in  
Oh the vision of life in my head_

_I will be  
Strong on my own  
I will see through the rain  
I will find my way  
I will keep on  
Traveling this road  
Till I finally reach my dream  
Till I'm living, and I'm breathing  
My destiny,_

_I can't let go now  
Even when darkness surrounds  
But if I hold on, yeah  
I will show the world  
All the things that you never expected to see  
From little old me._

_And I wonder just where my place is  
Close my eyes and I remind myself this  
I will be  
Strong on my own  
I will see through the rain  
I will find my way  
I will keep on  
Traveling this road  
Till I finally reach my dream  
Till I'm living, and I'm breathing  
My destiny,_

_It comforts me  
It keeps me  
Alive each day of my life  
Always guiding me  
Providing me  
With the hope I desperately need_

_Well I gotta believe  
There's something out there meant for me  
Oh I get on my knees  
Praying I will receive  
The courage to grow and the faith to know_

_That I will be  
Strong on my own  
I will see through the rain  
I will find my way  
I will keep on  
Traveling this road  
Till I finally reach my dream  
Till I'm living, and I'm breathing  
My destiny _

_Lyrics by Christina Aguilera_

**Chapter One – Smile though your heart is breaking…**

A young man stood at his bedroom window. To any passing person who cared to look the man appeared to be spying on passers by, but truth be told, the man was too preoccupied with his brooding thoughts to even notice the people milling around below him. The young man's name was Harry Potter, and he was also coincidently, a Wizard. He was the boy-who-lived and the chosen one in every literal sense. It was his duty to bring the darkest Wizard of the era to justice, to kill, or to be killed, because that was the way things were.

That thought no longer bothered him, because even if fate hadn't decided to force him into the role as the defender of everything good and pure, it was still a role that he would have chosen in his own volition. The late headmaster Dumbledore had shown him the truth of that statement himself before his unfortunate death. He had forced him to see it, forced Harry to open his own eyes and acknowledge the truth he had tried to suppress for so long. It was not Harry's duty, it was his pleasure.

The headmaster had been the most intelligent, and the most brilliant person Harry had, had the pleasure of knowing, and now Harry also knew that the Wizarding World would see Harry as his successor. A role he fully intended to live up to.

He folded his arms in front of him and shifted into a more comfortable position. Out of respect for his old mentor he had decided to return to the Dursley residence, for a very short while. He was safe here, until he became of age anyway, and he needed time to decide what his plan of action would be. He was on his own in every sense of the word; Harry had no adults to protect him now.

He only needed to stay around long enough to attend Bill and Fleur's wedding, which would happen the day before he came of age, and then his adventure would being in earnest and he would take up the role of seeking out the four remaining Horcruxses that Voldermort had imbued his soul within. There had originally been six of them (not including the one residing in his current body), but no longer.

Harry and Dumbledore had each destroyed a Horcrux (Slytherin's ring and Riddles diary), which meant that four were left. An unknown person with the initials R.A.B had apparently destroyed the other (a locket), however there was know telling whether he really had or not, and know telling who RAB was, which meant that Harry had to investigate that also. There was also incidentally a small matter of revenge that Harry fully intended to take up.

On his travels he fully intended to hunt down one man named Severus Snape, and he intended to kill him.

Severus Snape, who called himself the half-blood Prince, was fully responsible for several people's deaths. The deaths were of those Harry had loved, respected and admired. Those Harry had counted on. His mother and Father. He had been responsible for his Godfather Sirius's death and lately Albus Dumbledore untimely demise. Dumbledore had been Harry's mentor and the late headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Without him, Harry fully believed that Hogwarts would never be the same again. That was, if the school ever opened again (its fate had yet to be decided), and if parents felt safe sending their children to the school with no omniscient Warlock to protect them.

Everyone had wept bitterly and raged the night Albus Dumbledore was murdered; in fact, the nation was still morning the greatest Wizards death. Harry knew he always would. He was distracted by a sound of pecking at the window. It was Ron's owl Pig. He quickly took the letter from the tiny owl.

_**H,**_

_**Phlegm's event is happening very soon now and the Breaker is still unsteady on his feet. There doesn't seem to be much wrong with The Breaker, except he's behaving almost as nice as you were a year ago. Let's just say he's having a spot of very, very bad PMT. Apart from that we'll have to wait and see.**_

**_H, even if you believe you must do what you've done for safety reasons, I just want you to know I'll wait. That special feeling, trust me when I tell you Dean and Corner never came close. Our feeling was real. It was pure. We should talk; you never gave me a chance to respond. I'll wait for you forever, but I'm not happy about your decision. You're not off the hook for not letting me have a say in your decision._**

_**Love,**_

_**The one who relaxed and let you see the real her if only for a very short while.** _

Harry understood the code immediately. The letter was from Ginny Weasley, his ex-girlfriend. The one he loved. Bill Weasley was acting more aggressively and moody because of Greyback's bite (A werewolves bite which occurred whilst the man was in human form), and his wedding to Fleur was to be held on the 30th July. Ginny Weasley didn't look like she would let him go off on his mission quietly, or without a quarrel, but she would wait for him. She loved him.

He needed to hear from her more than he was willing to admit, and a small weight rolled from his heart. He was now fighting for something, his life, and his right to love Ginny Weasley, because he could never stop loving her.

**End Ch1.**

H/G forever! That's the only thing I can thank JK for at the moment. lol! Everything still seems very surreal, and I just can believe he's dead! Not only that but that it was the HBP that killed him! I really don't know what to think about that at the moment! Argh!

The second chapter is much better, I think, anyway. Wasn't sure about this one, it sets the stage I suppose, but I felt like I was too longwinded. Lemme know, I'm updating the 2nd Chappie right now! It's a 2 for 1 special!

Erin10

Revised 14/9/05


	2. Chapter Two

**Harry Potter and the Return to Godric's Hollow by Erin10.**

**Spoiler Warning: -** This fiction contains spoilers from HPB. If you haven't read HBP, don't read my fic! It won't make sense and I don't want to spoil HBP for anyone! Consider yourself warned! I won't be held responsible if you read this and then complain that I spoilt the book for you!

**Disclaimer: -** Everything belongs to J.K Rowling! I own nothing! This is written purely for my own enjoyment, after the last book my sanity depends on it!

**Chapter Two – Plans of Action.**

A week later, Harry was busy packing his trunk. He had stayed at the Dursley's for the first three weeks of July, and in nine days Bill Weasley was to marry Fleur. Finishing quickly he dragged his trunk down the stairs and into the hallway, and then he walked swiftly up the stairs and picked up Hedwig's cage, he had told her to fly to the Burrow.

He sat the cage on top of his trunk and he looked around briefly, this was the last time he would ever see the Dursley residence. He would never ever visit here again. He quickly walked into the kitchen. His aunt Petunia stood with her back to him he noticed that she was busy making breakfast, his uncle and cousin sat at the table.

"I'm leaving now. I doubt I'll ever see you again." He told them forcefully, "Thank you for taking me in." He laughed bitterly and shook his head in morbid amusement, what more was there to say to these people? There wasn't anything he could think of, absolutely nothing. Without waiting for an answer he walked from the kitchen, and pulled his trunk and Hedwig's cage into the street. Pulling out his wand stealthily and checking for any Muggles nearby, he raised the wand, and with a bang, the night bus appeared.

"Hello I'm Arnold Pearson and I'll be your conductor this morning…" Harry nodded impatiently.

"Yes… Yes, hasn't Stan been released yet?" He asked cutting the boy off when he remembered that Rufus Scrimgeour had arrested Stan Shunpike several months ago. Pearson shook his head regretfully.

"No Sir."

Harry shook his head and mounted the bus. "Scrimgeour has a lot to answer for, doesn't he? I'll have a single to Ottery St Catchpole, outside the Burrow please." He told Pearson who looked quite shocked that Harry had defiled the Ministers name.

"Right you are Sir. I'll bring your luggage aboard. That'll be three galleons and a sickle." Harry nodded and paid the man, he noticed that the beds had vanished, and in their place comfortable chairs and settees littered the bus. He sat in the chair nearest the driver Ernie.

By chance he glanced back towards the Dursley's house. His aunt has been peering out of the window looking for him. He remembered that Muggles could not see the night bus, and that it must have seemed like he had disappeared in plain sight. That would rile them up for a final time, and send her into a screeching fit about his weird abnormality. The thought made him grin.

Pearson it seemed could not keep his eyes off of Harry, and Harry did not know if this was a good thing or not.

"What did you say your name was Sir?" He asked him finally. Harry smiled slightly and shook his head, he raised his hand to shake Pearsons, after all, he hadn't really introduced himself, and he decided quickly, that in the dark times they were living in, it wasn't really appropriate for him to divulge his true name. Harry did some quick thinking.

"I didn't. It's James, James Evans." Harry then making sure his fringe was covering his lightning bold scar, stared out of the window in a daydream which included the end of the war, and all of his friends lounging around happily with Ginny by his side. He did not speak to Pearsons again, except to say goodbye when he reached his destination.

* * *

"Who is it?" An anxious voice asked. Harry grimaced, Mrs Weasley sounded quite frightened. 

"It's me Mrs. Weasley. Harry." He heard her gasp slightly, but the door did not open.

"Would you like me to tell you something only I know Mrs. Weasley? Then perhaps you can tell me something that you know about me, but that's not commonly known?" He asked remembering what Mr Weasley had insisted on Molly Weasley doing last year.

"Yes please Harry."

"The summer before my fifth year, you told Sirius that I was as good as your son." He whispered remembering that fondly.

"Your favourite dinner is Shepard's pie." She whispered back and opened the door quickly. She pointed her wand at his belongings and levitated them inside, stepping aside for Harry to follow. She then bolted the door.

"It's good to see you Harry, but you shouldn't be wandering around alone! Anything could have happened!" She scolded him. Harry grimaced slightly at her tone.

"I haven't much choice Mrs. Weasley; Dumbledore isn't here to protect me anymore is he?" She didn't answer, but another voice did, which made him spin around quickly.

"Be that as it may Harry, the Order's still here to protect you." Harry turned to see Remus Lupin sitting at the kitchen table. Harry shook his head in disagreement.

"No they can't. I won't be sticking around for much longer; I have places to go and people to see. No one can protect me anymore, no one but myself." Harry took his cloak off and hung it over the chair.

Lupin frowned. "What have you got to do Harry?" He asked sounding quite worried.

"I don't have to do anything Lupin. I _chose to_ finish what Dumbledore and I started." He said flatly, but he smiled slightly at Lupin to show him that he wasn't snubbing him. It was a technique he remembered Albus Dumbledore employing on him last summer, to soften his tone, so that Harry did not believe that he had snubbed him, and to show him that he was free to ask more questions. Harry continued to speak.

"Hopefully, I might also run into Snape on my journey, and if I do I'll show him the same mercy he showed Professor Dumbledore." He sank into the seat beside Lupin; his eyes sparkled with anger at the thought of what Snape had done to his mentor. Molly saw this and turned on him.

"Don't you even think about it Harry Potter, your still just a child."

Harry looked up at her and shook his head, "No Mrs. Weasley, you want to believe that I'm still child, but I haven't been a child for several years now. All I'm doing is fulfilling destiny if you will."

"Killing Severus Snape is not your destiny Harry!" She squealed, and Harry nodded in agreement which confused the woman slightly.

"No, you're right, it's his comeuppance. He's had his hand in my parent's deaths, Sirius's death and he is solely responsible for Professor Dumbledore's death. I want to have a direct hand in his, and Merlin help me, I will!" Harry vowed feeling Lupin's eyes boring into his skull.

"And do you have the skill to do that Harry?" Lupin asked sceptically, "…Because the last time I looked you still had a year of schooling to complete, and Snape is a world class dueller." Harry turned to meet his old Professor's gaze head on.

"Either I will or I won't. If I don't then it won't matter much to me will it? And if I do I'll be the-boy-who-lived twice." His laugh was tinged with irony. "But time's running out and I don't have a year to waste at school. Not now that Dumbledore is dead. I have a hell of a lot to do, and I doubt I've much time to do it in, skill or no, I embrace the challenge. I think it's a better plan that sitting around and waiting for Voldermort to strike first. This time, everything will be on my terms, and I for one, prefer that immensely." Harry said sounding satisfied, his mouth slightly curved into a very small smile. He looked startlingly like a very quiet cat that had got his cream finally, and who was just about to savour it.

"That goes for the pair of us too Harry! We've already told you, you're not alone mate. We're coming too." Another voice said quietly, it was his best friend Ron who had spoken; he was holding his girlfriend's hand, Hermione Granger, Harry's other best friend.

"After all we've been through together, it'd be a shame to break the trend now wouldn't it?" She smiled sadly at him, "We'll be with you all the way Harry, like we always have been. Where you go, we go, like we always have." Harry looked at them pensively.

"It's asking a fair bit of the both of you. This is far more dangerous than ever before, and there won't be anyone to bail us out if things get rough. It's your choice, and like Dumbledore let me make my choice alone, I'll let you make yours, and either way, I won't think any less of you for it." He smiled slightly at the indignant looks on his friend's faces, but he continued to talk. "You've got until the day of my birthday to decide, by then I really must make a move."

"No need. I'm with you mate. It's not a hard choice you know Harry, you're my best mate, andI'll see you through to the end." Ron told him shaking his head in mock annoyance at his friend's typical behaviour. Mrs. Weasley began to voice her protests, but Harry ignored her, and cut her off quickly.

"If you come you have to be prepared for anything. You could end up like my parents. The only difference is that you would have had a shorter engagement to one another, and no children to leave behind." Harry told them his Slytherin surfacing briefly. Ron looked shocked.

"How in Merlin's name did you know about that?" Harry pointed to their entwined hands. Hermione wore a solitary gold band on her ring finger.

Ron shook his head with a small chuckle. "Only a seeker would have spotted that, but it isn't an engagement ring Harry, it's a promise ring. It's a shame we won't be playing next year Captain." To Harry it seemed as if Ron had brushed off his warning, so he began to speak again when Ron interrupted him.

"Yes Harry! We know! Generally people's lives are at risk when people are at war! It's a chance everyone has to take! Not just us. Admittedly, ours will be at more of a risk than most, but so be it. We're still with you. Stop trying to convince us to stay, it's not happening." Hermione smiled slightly and she began to continue where Ron had left off.

"Harry, we've done nothing but think about it since you told us. The risk is worth it. It's the right thing to do, and we would do it anyway because we care about you too!" Harry smiled slightly.

"I care about you both more than you can imagine, but you do realise Hermione that if you come with me there won't be any time for Hogwarts and classes? You won't graduate." Ron laughed silently turning away from his girlfriend.

Hermione however sniffed and looking quite annoyed, she shot a dirty look at Harry. "I can't believe you think I value my education more than your life Harry!"

He smiled. "This coming from the girl who once said _'I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could have been all killed -- or worse, expelled,**'**_ in our first year Hermione? It's obvious that not graduating is going to be a really sore spot for you, however just for the record I didn't think that you valued it more than my life." She sniffed again looking quite annoyed.

"Yes it's a sacrifice, but it's one I'm prepared to make, so can we just drop it? Ron's sacrificing Quidditch, but you're not making a point about that! You're sacrificing the love Ginny wants to give you, which you kept remarkably quiet about!" She said with a shrewd look. Her last sentence had been said in barely more than a whisper so that the adults didn't hear her.

"Which is a completely stupid thing to do Harry, but that's neither here nor there because you won't listen to me anyway." She finished huffily.

"Fine. Fine. I see your point Hermione, I'll drop it." Harry told her looking away from the Weasley family, as a small blush tinted his cheeks at the mention of his breaking up with Ginny. "I only meant to prepare you for the harsh reality of what awaits us; none of this adventure will be pretty. It will be life threatening and downright frightening at times."

"None of you are going anywhere!" Mrs. Weasley snapped having heard enough, and having had enough of being ignored in her own home. Ron looked at her angrily.

"My best mate is going off into go knows what trouble, and you expect me to stay at home like a good little boy and let him brave it alone? I don't think so Mother! I'll be right beside him!" He snapped. Hermione placed her hand on Ron's shoulder trying to calm him down; she spoke softly to Mrs. Weasley.

"We'll be gone the day after Harry's birthday, Mrs. Weasley. We reminded Harry at the Headmasters funeral about attending Bill's wedding, and Harry and Ron need to take their apparition tests on Harry's birthday."

"Where will you go?" Asked Lupin still staring at Harry.

"Who knows?" Harry muttered not quite ready to divulge that information to the man in case the adults tried to stop them. He fingered the fake Horcrux which he wore around his neck, feeling apprehensive about the oncoming journey.

"What's that Harry?" Lupin questioned again. Harry looked at him and spoke quietly.

"A reminder of what's at stake." Hermione looked at him sadly.

"Neither of you could have known Harry." She tried to reassure him.

"S'not the point is it Hermione? That night was hell, in more ways than one. We should have known, in fact we should have done a lot of things but didn't." Harry muttered again, feeling an ache in his heart.

"Are you going to brief the Order on your mission Harry?" Lupin asked. Harry shook his head.

"No one but the three of us is to know. I promised the Headmaster and Hermione and Ron promised me." He said forcefully.

"He's gone Harry… I'm sure he wouldn't have minded…" Mrs Weasley began attentively, she looking slightly resigned to Harry's plight now, but she looked like she wanted to know every little single detail about it before passing complete judgement.

"Like I told Professor McGonagall, Mrs. Weasley, Professor Dumbledore did not tell me to ever stop following his orders, even if he died, so I won't." Harry told the woman sternly. This was one secrete no one but the three of them were to know.

"Molly, stop pressing Harry, you know what he told Scrimgeour." Remus said with a small smile of pride, which was directed at Harry.

"That I'm Dumbledore's man through and through. How did you know?" Harry said softly.

"The Headmaster's portraits talk Harry; you told the Headmaster did you not?" Harry nodded, and decided that it was time for another subject; he did not want to think about the Headmaster now, because the subject was still too raw.

"We'll need some of Fred and Georges serious line," Harry told his friends, "Anything that could be useful, Shield Hats, Cloaks, Gloves, Instant Darkness Powder, Decoy Detonators and Extendable Ears. You two could do with an invisibility cloak each too, can you buy those? I need another wand too." Harry asked thinking of anything they might need.

"Why do you need a wand Harry?" Lupin asked frowning.

"Didn't you know? My wand is the brother to Voldermort's wand. Phoenix feathers, which were given by Fawks. Did Ollivander ever surface?" Molly raised her hand to her mouth trying to stifle a gasp at Harry's revelation.

"No." Lupin muttered pensively.

"Shame. I always thought he seemed a bit dodgy, I doubt he was kidnapped, probably always was a Death Eater, he was a very odd man. I never felt that safe around him." Harry shuddered remembering how being in Ollivander presence had felt, and how his eerie, moon-like eyes seemed to follow your every step, like Moody's fake eye, but more sinisterly.

"Harry! You can't just accuse people of…" Molly began. Hermione laughed bitterly.

"He never trusted Snape either. He was the only one who didn't! None of us would listen to him, we just thought it was because of the old hostility between his parents, Sirius and Snape. We kept telling him that If Dumbledore said that he was trustworthy then he was, and look how that ended! I for one think that we should think that everyone could be a possible Death Eater, because it's better than blindly trusting everyone. We can't afford to lose anyone else, especially Harry, not after losing Dumbledore." Hermione told them darkly, her brown eyes glittering strangely.

Harry was slightly shocked to hear Hermione's view's being painted so negatively. "No Hermione not everyone is a possible Death Eater, Professor Dumbledore was right to a certain extent. Some people do deserve a second chance and they do deserve to be trusted when they've earned that right. Look at Sirius when he almost killed Snape, Snape was a git, but even for a prank that was extreme. Should I have not given him my trust? Some people, those people like Voldermort don't deserve trust to be given to them or second chances. It's a case of finding the middle ground between Professor Dumbledore's trusting nature and Moody's constant 'everyone is out to get me,' vigilance, paranoia." Harry finished feeling like he had just delivered a sermon.

"Well said Harry!"

A new voice sounded from behind Ron and Hermione who still blocked the door. They apologised and entered the kitchen, and it was Ginny who followed them in.

"You must be hungry. I bet you didn't stay at the Dursley's for breakfast?" She asked looking around the kitchen. As if on queue Harry's stomach rumbled.

"I… I'm sorry dear, I completely forgot. I'll whip something up for you now." Mrs. Weasley told him blushing like he had earlier. Harry heard none of that though, his eyes were locked with Ginny's, and he suddenly realised that the next ten days would be excruciatingly hard, because even though he knew he must distance himself from her, he didn't want to.

Hermione however, nudged Ron, while she watched them with a smug smile on her face she whispered, "I told him it was a stupid idea."

**End Ch2**

Should be a Weasley Wedding next! What did you think?

Please Read and Review! It makes my day!

Erin10

Revised 14/09/05


	3. Chapter Three

**Harry Potter and the Return to Godric's Hollow by Erin10.**

**Spoiler Warning: -** This fiction contains spoilers from HPB. If you haven't read HBP, don't read my fic! It won't make sense and I don't want to spoil HBP for anyone! Consider yourself warned! I won't be held responsible if you read this and then complain that I spoilt the book for you!

**Disclaimer: -** Everything belongs to J.K Rowling! I own nothing! This is written purely for my own enjoyment, after the last book my sanity depends on it!

**Chapter Three – A few unexpected surprises.**

"Have you looked at me recently Fleur? I mean really looked, because all I see is a semi disfigured face that I'm disgusted to go into public with." Harry heard a loud thump, it sounded like something had hit the wall.

"I won't let you reduce yourself to marrying someone who looks like me, you deserve better, forget you even promised to marry me and go and find the prince charming you deserve!" Harry frowned, it was Bill's raised voice he could hear, and he didn't seem to be thinking straight.

"You 'av a bad 'opinion of me Bill to 'fink that I am 'zat vain." He heard Fleur say sounding crossed between impatient, annoyance and a tinge of hurt at his words.

"And so you should be! What will your parents say now? They were already sceptical because of my family's financial situation, and now will they accept an ugly son-in-law too?" His tone was scathing, Harry winced whilst thinking about how Fleur must feel, and he felt guilty to be listening, but there wasn't much he could do about that without giving away his presence in the hallway, he remembered that the second, third and fifth steps creaked on the first flight of stairs.

"You are not ugly Bill! Leave my parents to me, it does not matter what 'zey 'fink! I love you, you love me, is 'zat not enough for you?" She said sounding exhausted. "Please Bill. Leave it be." Their voices lowered then, so that he couldn't hear what was being said. He was glad.

"They've been like that all summer." A voice told him, he jumped and spun around to see Ginny looking at him. "I wouldn't tiptoe around them if I was you, or you'll find yourself sneaking around and feeling guilty for it continuously." She smiled slightly, "We've all been there. Trust me, I know. Don't forget that we have a long overdue conversation to finish Harry! You're not getting away from me that easily!" Then shooting a look at him, she breezed passed him and went downstairs, leaving him alone again.

He followed her wondering if a wedding would still take place, Bill was beginning to sound like Lupin when he talked to Tonks, telling her he was too poor, too old and too dangerous. When he entered the kitchen he saw Lupin sitting there, he seemed to be a regular visitor. Harry hoped that Lupin would learn to let Tonks love him, like Bill needed to understand that Fleur loved him unconditionally.

* * *

"Hello Professor how's Tonks?" Harry asked sitting down and buttering some toast. He watched the man blush slightly; looking highly uncomfortable with Harry's chosen conversation.

"Isn't it time you called me Remus, Harry? I haven't been your Professor for three years now." He told Harry ignoring part of Harry's question, and hoping to deflect it away from Tonks. Harry put his toast on his plate and looked Remus in the eye.

"I suppose, if you would like me to. Well then, Hello Remus, how's Tonks?" He heard Ginny snicker quietly.

"She's fine." Remus told him looking into his coffee mug, "Overworked, underpaid and stressed, but she's okay." Harry smiled at him.

"Good to know Remus, we were all quite worried about her." Harry told him resuming the preparation of his toast.

"And how are you Ginny?" Remus asked the young red head at the table, she smiled slightly,

"I've been better." Ginny answered truthfully shooting a quick look at Harry. Harry however chose to ignore her remark.

"I think that's something only you can help with Harry." Remus told him flatly, a faint blush still staining his cheeks, "but I know that it's none of my business so I won't push it. It is amazing what we Werewolves are able to hear when people forget about our amazing capability for hearing. I wouldn't have thought that Hermione would have forgotten about that though." He said quietly, and Harry was reminded at once about the conversation about Ginny that Hermione had whispered to him yesterday.

"I do however have a message to bring to you. Minerva would like to see you at Hogwarts Harry, and I am to take you since you cannot legally apparate yet." He smiled slightly looking at Harry who had blushed also at Remus's words.

"I think that you also need to remember that you're playing with a Marauder Harry, and just because I don't use the old tricks anymore, it doesn't mean I've forgotten how." Harry bowed his head slightly reading Remus's message loud and clear, 'an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth,' he would retaliate also when provoked, but he smiled and looked up,

"Yes, well, that's part of the fun isn't it? I will however remember not to question you about Tonk's in the future, but you should remember than when Ginny and I were a couple, I built up the nerve to kiss her, but we've separated, and at least we tried."

Remus nodded smirking slightly, "I think the lady has quite a lot she's refraining from saying on that subject Harry." He said seeing Ginny's eyes boring into the young man, who ignored them but whose eye began to twitch slightly.

"Just because I haven't paraded it around, it doesn't mean that I haven't kissed Tonk's. However I get the point you are trying to make Harry, I doubt you could have been more obvious if you tried. You are trying to tell me to grab the bull by the horns, or should I say that life is too short and I should kiss Tonk's and get it over and done with, something you're mother would have told me, I'm sure." He said amused, he shook his head slightly, "Well Perhaps I will grab the bull by the horns."

"But you haven't, have you Remus?" A quiet voice said from the door, "I wish you would."

Harry turned to see Tonks looking at him, looking amused for the first time since Sirius's death. "It's rather like being caught with you pants down, isn't it Remmy? Are you going to kiss me then?" She asked, a small amount of her humour shining into her conversation and her eyes sparkling slightly again, she looked hopeful.

It was good thing to see Harry thought, love amidst a time of war and horror, it was human nature at it's finest. Remus however looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights of a car; he had frozen at hearing her voice.

"I'm too poor, too dangerous and too old for you." He said quietly trying to argue, her eyes hardened.

"Poor maybe, dangerous your not and I think it's my decision whether you are too old for me or not, in the grand scheme of things age is the least of our concern, Dumbledore was one hundred and fifty! I love you Remus! Everything about you!" She finished softly, "But you obviously don't like me, aren't I worth fighting for?" She asked shaking her head.

No one said anything. The silence was deafening.

"Well. That's put me in my place hasn't it Lupin? Your silence speaks volumes. At least I finally know where I stand." Her voice had changed back to the desolate drone of unhappiness that she had used for the last year; her brown eyes glittered with tears as she fought down a sob. "I'll come back later, it wasn't important anyway…" She trailed off her eyes showing her hearts anguish, she looked like she was being tortured by being in the same room as Remus. She opened the door and began to walk out, but Remus jumped up.

"No Nymphadora you can't leave, you'll splinch yourself." He told her quietly, she stopped in the doorway, and he walked to her, placing a hand on her shoulder he spoke very quietly.

"I'm a fool Nymphadora, I feel great emotions for you, but I… I don't know what they are. I've never been in a relationship, never felt loved. I don't want to hurt you, and I don't want to lose anyone again." He winced slightly, feeling awkward for admitting it. "Which sounds very pathetic for a man my age but…"

"Neither have I Remus." Tonk's cut him off, "Not until that day I saw you pissing around with Sirius at Grimmauld place, when you were trying to cheer him up, you were so sweet. You took the time when no one else did; I thought then that you were lovely. There's so many things that I love about you, it's unbelievable that no one saw what I see in you before me." She said softly, her finger tracing his jawbone.

"I'm a Werewolf Nymphadora, who would see anything in me except that? Only you, you foolish girl." He said softly smiling and leaning into her caress. She laughed ever so softly.

"And I'm a Metamorphmagus Remus, who would want a girl they couldn't keep track of, who can change her appearance at will, but you? You're a foolish man." He laughed and said.

"What a pair we make." Then Remus Lupin leaned down and kissed the young woman, taking her into his arms, finally without any visible hesitation.

"Ginny?" Harry asked looking happy but amused, "Can I use the floo to talk to Professor McGonagall? I think Remus will be indisposed for a while."

* * *

Harry walked up to the Castle with Remus and Tonk's in toe. He had asked the new headmistress for another escort, but none were available and Remus and Tonk's had quite happily assured him that they did not mind taking him to Hogwarts. Harry smiled; Tonk's had even said that while he was busy she wanted to make herself busy with Remus down by the lake. All in all the pair of Order members were behaving rather like a pair of teenagers.

They reached the door of the heads office with no trouble and Remus told the gargoyles the password so Harry could pass. "Ask Minerva to summon us when you're ready to leave. We've got some business to attend to… and it can't wait any longer." Remus muttered to Harry with a wide smile on his face as he and Tonk's left Harry and walked away quickly, to be alone together.

Harry shook his head and laughed as he walked up the stairs, he was still laughing as he reached the door. He had never seen his old professor looking so relaxed. He knocked on the door and entered the room when McGonagall's voice had told him to do so.

"What in Merlin's name did you find so amusing Potter? I could do with a laugh, and I could hear you laughing all the way up the stairs." She asked him curiously, her beady eyes peering at him through her square glasses. Harry's eyes involuntarily quickly flickered to Dumbledore's portrait, which was awake finally, and he was staring at Harry, smiling widely.

"Oh. It was Remus and Tonk's you see, they said that they have some business to attend to down at the lake, but it obviously isn't business." Harry laughed again softly, shaking his head trying to forget about Dumbledore the painting. "…And after how Tonk's has suffered it was good to see them finally together and acting like a pair of teenagers, and when Tonk's said that she'd keep Remus busy down by the lake, she reminded me of something Ginny said to me once." He blushed faintly, "Remus did manage to tell me to ask you to summon him when we're done before he was dragged off though."

McGonagall smiled wryly, "Yes that was a long time in coming wasn't it?" But he did not know whether she was talking about himself and Ginny or Remus and Tonk's.

"Now I've called you here today in regards of Professor Dumbledore's last will and testament. You were named the sole heir to the Dumbledore fortune, and besides his brother, he has no living relations… you cannot however, access his vault until your seventeenth birthday, almost everything you inherited was placed in the vault for safe keeping when I was made Headmistress, with a few exceptions. You are to be given Godric Griffindor's sword, the late headmasters pensive and this diary." She pointed to them; they all sat on the desk in front of him.

"His heir?" Harry asked looking at Dumbledore's portrait; he spoke for the first time since Harry had entered the room. He was still smiling serenely.

"I am sure that I would have had a good reason Harry, Alas I forget now, but I do know that I admired and cared for you, perhaps that is why?" He told the boy gently.

"You said that you were Dumbledore's man through and through, didn't you boy? Well, how do you think he regarded you, you naive brat?" A snide voice asked, it was Phineas Nigellus Black who had spoken he was looking at Harry as though Harry was the village idiot.

"That's enough Phineas." Dumbledore's portrait and McGonagall chimed together, admonishing him.

* * *

**End of Ch3**

Sorry! I didn't get round to the wedding! Aaaaarh, Remus/Tonks is so lovely to write! I also apologise for the length, it's not as long as I would have liked. I have also found that I'm rubbish when trying to write speech with accents, Fleur come's out badly because of this, can you just imagine the French twang? I don't do it justice.

What do you think?

Thanks for your reviews! Review again!

Erin10

Revised 14/09/05


	4. Chapter Four

**Harry Potter and the Return to Godric's Hollow by Erin10.**

**Spoiler Warning: -** This fiction contains spoilers from **HPB**. If you haven't read **HBP**, don't read my fic! It won't make sense and I don't want to spoil HBP for anyone! Consider yourself _warned!_ I won't be held responsible if you read this and then complain that I spoilt the book for you!

**Disclaimer: -** Everything belongs to J.K Rowling! I own nothing! This is written purely for my own enjoyment, andafter the last book my sanity depends on it!

**Chapter Four – Of Weddings and Memories.**

Harry walked back up to the Burrow looking thoroughly shocked; being made Dumbledore's heir would be a lot to live up to. The Daily Prophet would have a field day when they found out, and they would find out soon.

Harry knew, as soon as he turned seventeen and was granted access to the Dumbledore vault. McGonagall had seen fit to warn him this, knowing that he knew virtually nothing about Wizarding customs.

Tonks and Remus followed him, and he allowed them to knock on the door, and convince Mrs. Weasley that they were not Death Eaters in disguise. Harry did not have the strength or the inclination to bother, his heart was aching fiercely, and all he wanted was to be left alone with his thoughts, something that seldom happened at the Weasley residence.

He followed them into the kitchen, placed the Pensive, the sword, and the Diary on the table, and then he sat down in front of the objects and stared at them morosely. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Remus and Tonks looking at him in concern, and Mrs. Weasley seemed to be flapping around the kitchen, pondering what to say. Eventually it was Hermione who spoke.

"Harry, do you want to talk?" She asked eagerly. Harry knew from bitter experience that talking about things was something Hermione always wanted to do, but he didn't feel inclined to placate her today, he would not humour the request.

"Not really." He answered dully. Mrs. Weasley opened her mouth, and then closed it, obviously changing her mind about speaking.

Harry did not know what to think. Dumbledore's diary could turn out to be immensely private and Harry did not want to invade the Headmasters privacy, even though the man seemed to want him to. Likewise, the pensive looked half full of memories, and that also seemed too personal for Harry; his curiosity seemed to be extinguished.

Harry knew, that once, he would have jumped at being able to brows through the headmaster's thoughts and memories, but now, he couldn't help but feel, that the luxury had come at far too much of a high price for his liking. He would rather have remained ignorant of everything, if that had meant that the headmaster could have lived.

He felt the misery of losing Dumbledore all over again. It ripped at his heart and he was afraid that he would begin to cry again, and the one thing he did not want to do, was to begin to cry in front of an audience.

He felt a gentle weight of a hand being placed upon his shoulder. He looked up into Ginny's bright knowing gaze, he knew that his eyes were beginning to tear, but he didn't feel ashamed for her to see that, not like he did with the others.

"Do you want to be alone for a while Harry?" She asked softly and Harry nodded, wondering how this girl knew him in such an intimate way, one that no other did. She seemed to see what others did not, and she understood Harry in a way that made him feel very vulnerable. He nodded and she squeezed his shoulder gently in reassurance, "You can use my room then. I'll help you carry this shall I?" She asked picking up Gryffindor's sword.

"But…" Hermione began, but never finished.

Harry saw Ginny throw her a fierce look, which was full of anger at her insistence to talk, she looked rather like a mother lion protecting her pride. Harry was more grateful than words could say.

* * *

Hour's later Harry woke up. It seemed that he had fallen asleep after exhausting himself. His heart still ached, and felt rubbed raw, but he no longer felt like he would fall apart easily again.

He had needed to cry, to finally heal after the death of the man who had done so much for him, he understood that. Ginny had also been a rock for Harry. She had escorted him up the stairs and helped him to sit on her bed, placing his things on her bedside table. She had then given him a quick hug, a kiss on the cheek, and had walked back to her bedroom door pausing momentarily to look at him briefly. She had then spoken to him in a stern voice.

"Just remember that you're not alone, and when you want to talk, I'll be there to listen." She had also smiled slightly then and murmured, "I'll be in the garden if you need me." And then she had left him alone to brood, knowing that he needed the time alone to sort out his thoughts and to get a grip on his feelings.

Harry felt exhausted; he lay on the bed and made no move to open his eyes. He could remember crying bitterly, and then when no more tears would come, he had just stared at the objects he had been given, his mind feeling numb. He had wondered if his brain had closed down in shock to protect him, and then he had realized that it was just a part of the grieving process. Something he had never felt with Sirius's death because he had hardly ever allowed himself to think about it, but he was being forced to think about Dumbledore's death, because wherever he turned, someone always wanted to talk about it.

Harry felt that it was time he faced up to the sad fact that Albus Dumbledore was dead, and like he had finally come to accept about Sirius (that he would never, ever again, receive a letter from him), he had to accept that he would never again see Dumbledore smile, never be able to speak to him again, and he would never again have to try and guess what sweet the genius had used as his password to grant access to his office.

He could not afford to fall apart like this. He had to be strong. He was Dumbledore's heir, and if he was ever going to face Voldermort, he needed to have a handle on his emotions. They too could be used against him, he knew this, and Sirius had died because of this. He wiped the sleeping dust from his face and stretched his aching and protesting muscles.

It was only then that he realized that someone had taken off his shoes, covered him with a blanked and taken off his glasses. He found his glasses on the bedside table, and whilst putting them on he noticed a white rose lying on the bedside table, next to where his glasses had been deposited.

He smiled wryly; it was evident that Ginny had been back to check on him, the thought lifted his heart slightly. He pealed the cover from his body and stood up. He folded the cotton blanked several times, and laid it on top of the bed. He straightened out her normal quilt, which he noticed was dyed Gryffindor red.

He wondered if she had died it herself? He picked up the rose, smelt it, and with a tender smile he placed it upon her pillow, picking up his thing's he then proceeded to Ron's room where he knew his friends would be. He felt stronger, and ready to talk, like Hermione had wanted him to do earlier.

Harry soon found that he was indeed correct. Hermione and Ron were in Ron's room, on top of Ron's bed, in a rather compromising position. Harry blushed, knowing that if Mrs. Weasley had found them, Ron would be subjected to a long, loud rant about why that was not appropriate behaviour, that she had brought him up to be a decent Wizard, and that if she ever caught him doing that again in her house, before they were married, she would send him to a Monastery.

Hermione saw him and squeaked, Ron however froze in horror, and Harry placed his new belongings quickly in his trunk, whilst he studiously did his best to ignore his friends, never once looking in their direction again. As he got to the door, Hermione however seemed to regain her composure, she spoke briskly, "Ron… Ron! Get off me. Harry if you'd just wait outside for a moment we'll straighten ourselves out and then we'll be ready to receive you." Ron started to laugh.

"Yes Harry, we'll be ready to receive you." He said slightly mockingly her. "Hermione, your t-shirt's on my desk. Harry, next time would you knock mate?"

Harry nodded and fled from the room. When Hermione opened the door, a few minutes later, Harry entered the room feeling decidedly uncomfortable. "Are you feeling any better Harry?" Hermione asked him, and he nodded not trusting himself to speak. Ron laughed off the embarrassment.

"I think we've scarred him for life Hermione, he's still having a slight problem speaking." Hermione glared at Ron, and placed her hands on her hips reminding Harry of Mrs. Weasley.

"Yes well… if you had remembered to lock the door Ronald Weasley…" Harry's mouth felt dry, but he felt that he should step into the conversation quickly, or they might reveal something else he never wanted to know about.

Finally he croaked, "Yes well...these things happen." It had worked and Hermione had stopped speaking, but it had not worked in the way Harry had planned. Ron suddenly looked rather volatile.

"Not with my sister they don't!" He roared, and only then did Harry stop to really think about what he had said, and he shook his head frantically,

"No! No I didn't mean _that_!" He said hoarsely. Hermione smirked.

"Damn straight you didn't." Ron muttered, "I don't even want to _think_ about that."

Harry blushed and looked away from Ron who was still muttering under his breath. Eventually he stopped and Harry felt his gaze boring a hole into him, "Don't even think about doing anything more than snogging her Harry! She's a year younger than you and I've got four older brothers that will help me break your legs if we ever find out you've taken advantage of her, best friend or not. Do you understand?" He told him angrily. Harry looked at his best friend and gulped slightly.

"I'm not with your sister anymore Ron, we broke up, you know that." Harry said quietly, and Ron snorted. "Yes and I'm a flobberworm." He said derisively. "You obviously don't know my sister as well as you think you do."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Harry asked annoyed.

"Nothing," Ron said smirking, "If you can't work it out for yourself."

Hermione spoke softly, "Are you ready to talk about your meeting with Professor McGonagall?" Harry looked at them and shook his head.

"I need to show you the memory of what happened on our last trip to get one of the Horcrux, it was a fake, we need to find out who took it. Why they took it, how they took it, and if it _has_ actually been destroyed." Harry told them feeling agitated suddenly. Who could R.A.B be? It was just another mystery on top of a thousand more that needed to be solved if Harry was ever going to have the chance of killing Voldermort.

"However I don't know how to put memories into the pensive, he never taught me that." Harry said softly, he walked to his trunk and took the pensive out cradling it and placed it on the table next to Ron's bed.

"I know how." Hermione told him in a gentle tone, "I've known for a while now, ever since you told us that Dumbledore asked you to get that memory from Professor Slughorn. I researched pensives then, but you can't do magic yet Harry, so I don't see how you can…"

She stopped speaking when Harry laughed, "All your research and you never found out that although the Ministry can detect magic being performed, they can't detect the perpetrator? Remember, I was blamed for Dobby's hover charm the summer before our second year. We're perfectly safe doing magic here. You're both of age and I doubt your parents would really report me to the Ministry for using magic Ron." He laughed when he saw his friends looking very indignant; he imagined that he had looked the same when Dumbledore had told him.

"I can't believe that." Hermione said through clenched teeth seething, Ron shook his head looking outraged.

"You mean that I could have used magic anytime I wanted but didn't because…" Harry nodded laughing heartily.

"That was my reaction too, although I couldn't have at the Dursley's obviously because none of them have an ounce of magical talent."

"Who told you?" Hermione asked questioningly.

"Of all the people! It was Professor Dumbledore that told me!" He laughed thinking about how ironic that statement sounded, his friends also saw the funny side to this, and they began to laugh with him.

"He was an excellent man wasn't he?" Ron said in an amused tone. "That he was." Harry told them smiling, remembering his mentor fondly.

"In actual fact Harry it's not hard to place a thought into the pensive. You just need to think about the memory really clearly, and only that memory, and touch the tip of your wand to your temple while you do that. There isn't an incantation, it's all about your intent and suppressing all other thoughts except the one you want to draw out. Why don't you try with something that isn't as complex to begin with?" Hermione told him and Harry nodded. He practiced using the pensive for half an hour before he felt that he could do it.

Feeling confident he thought about that terrible night. He included almost everything that had occurred from the moment he found out that Snape had been the one to inform Voldermort about the prophecy. He didn't think that they needed to see Dumbledore lying dead at the bottom of the tower however, so he stopped it at the point when he was trying to tell Hagrid that Dumbledore was dead. He pulled his wand away from his head, and seeing the silvery-white liquid strands of thought bunched up at the tip of his want, he quickly deposited them in the pensive. When Hermione gestured to Ron to go ahead and go before her Harry stopped him quickly.

"It is only fair to forewarn you that you'll see Professor Dumbledore's death." He told them quietly, "I didn't know if you realized that." Hermione and Ron nodded solemnly. Hermione looked tearful and Ron looked sick from the thought, but both of them looked grimly determined to go through with it. Harry watched Ron plunge his face into the silvery substance, Hermione followed, and then Harry reluctantly took a deep breath and followed them. He fell through darkness, until suddenly he saw himself standing outside the room of requirement with Professor Trelawney.

He noticed that both Ron and Hermione looked very nervous, and he understood that, the first time he had been inside this pensive, he had also felt nervous.

"_I miss having you in my classes, Harry_." Professor Trelawney was telling Harry, "_You were never much of a Seer… but you were a wonderful Object…_" Harry watched Hermione snort with derision whilst Ron gave a small bark of laughter. Harry shook his head, the brazen behaviour the woman had displayed that night had been largely due to the amount of sherry she had drank, it was however one of the most truthful things she had ever said to him.

"Silly cow!" A voice said quietly beside Harry, and Harry gaped, Ginny Weasley was standing beside him. When had she dropped in? "So what are you doing in here then?" She asked off handily, Ron and Hermione had yet to notice her. Harry could hear snippets of the memory playing out as he looked at Ginny, but he let them wash over him. He couldn't decide if he wanted her to see anymore of his memory, because then she would have to know everything, and he couldn't quite bring himself to kick her out.

"_Well, Harry, I promised that you could come with me."_ He heard Dumbledore say, and then before he had made up his mind the memory had progressed onto the part where he had replied, _"You've found one? You've found a Horcrux?"_ and then he knew there was no point in throwing her out. If he did that now she would only try to research the topic and draw attention to the subject, and attention was the last thing he needed. Judging by the horrified look on her face however, she somehow knew what a Horcrux was already.

"_What has upset you?"_ Dumbledore questioned.

"_I'm not upset."_ He heard himself reply.

"_Harry, you were never a good Occlumens_ -"

The entire plan, everything that he had tried so hard to conceal was playing out in front of Ginny's eyes. Harry sighed, and blocked the memory out clenching his teeth to stop himself from screaming with frustration. Why hadn't he been able to kick her out immediately? She would have to know everything now, and that would make her a liability.

"I'm sorry Harry. Should I go?" She asked, the entire colour had drained from her face and she still looked completely horrified. Harry shook his head.

"There's no point. Prepare yourself though, Dumbledore dies in this memory." He told her shortly, feeling angry with her, and angry with himself, he looked away from her and watched the night events unfold for the second time.

From the events that happened in the cave, and Dumbledore's piercing screams of horror which had made Hermione and Ginny start crying, to the duel between Harry and Snape after Dumbledore had been murdered. When the memory stopped Harry muttered, "That's it. Hermione help Ron out will you?" Ron and Hermione had just done a double take upon noticing Ginny standing next to Harry, he grabbed Ginny's arm quickly and tugged, the next minute they were standing once again in Ron's bedroom. A second later Ron and Hermione joined them.

"What in Merlin's name are you playing at Ginny?" Ron demanded angrily, and Harry winced, a headache was building behind his temples.

"Stop. There's no point in crying over spilt potion Ron, and lower your voice! No one else is to know any of that information." He said sharply, his emerald eyes flashing dangerously. "Do you understand that Ginny?" He asked. She nodded. "Good. Now can we discuss this tomorrow? I'm getting a headache." He winced, massaging his temples. Ron and Ginny nodded in agreement however Hermione did not look happy at the suggestion.

"Just one little comment Harry. There's something odd about what Snape said to you in that duel. He sounded like he was trying to teach you something, _'Blocked again, and again, and again until you learn to keep your mouth shut and your mind closed, Potter!' _but why would he say that? Why on Earth would he want to give you advice Harry? Especially when he's a Death Eater? It makes no sense!" She said pacing the room furiously.

"And why did he stop that other Death Eater from cursing you? Why didn't he take you to Voldermort, he could have dragged you off himself. None of what he's done makes any sense Harry." She told him looking very annoyed.

"Oh for the love of Merlin Hermione! What are you trying to say? That he's a good man? That he's still fighting for the light? Don't be foolish! He killed Dumbledore! He told Voldermort about the prophecy!" Ron snapped at her, and she glared back.

"I didn't say anything of the sort Ronald! All I'm saying is that he's acting oddly for a Death Eater, even YOU must see that! What Death Eater would give Harry a piece of... of advice like that?" She spluttered slightly, looking irate with her boyfriend.

"Look!" Ginny butted in trying to stop the oncoming row before it gathered any steam. "It's getting late and we still have preparations to do for the Wedding tomorrow. We don't have the time to argue about this right now!"

Hermione ignored her and looked at Harry, "Snape is right you know! I think we should all do what he said! We should all learn silent spell casting and Occulmency, it make's sense!"

"I am not following the orders of a Death Eater Hermione!" Ron said angrily, but Harry ignored them. He placed his memory safely back into his own mind, and then stored the pensive in his trunk. Then he left the room. He had forgotten about the Wedding.

* * *

The guests had begun to arrive at the Burrow, however due to the troubled times they all found themselves in, the only people to be invited were a handful of people from the Order, The Delacour's (which only consisted of Fleur, her parents, younger sister and Grandmother), Madam Maxime, and four close friends of Bill's and Fleur's. Ginny and Ron had gone off to get dressed much earlier, Ron as an attendant of Bill's, and Ginny as a bridesmaid to Fleur.

Hermione and Harry found themselves sitting on wooden seats on the second isle. McGonagall was sitting on the row behind them with Moody, Remus Lupin and Tonks who were talking in hushed tones to one another, and next to Harry was a member of the Weasley family he had never met before. Arthur Weasley's sister Muriel who looked like an older version of Ginny.

She had flaming red hair and bright brown eyes. She was chatting happily away to a man sitting next to her, who Harry presumed was her husband. Molly Weasley was sitting next to Muriel's husband at the end of the isle. The front row of seats had been saved for the attendants (The Weasley brothers), and the bridesmaids, Ginny and Fleur's sister Gabriel.

Bill was standing at the front of the room next to a man Harry had never seen before, but who oddly enough looked like a male version of Fleur with blond hair and blue eyes. Harry's muse was cut short however when he heard someone speaking loudly from the back.

"The Bride approaches."

Harry turned to see Ginny and Gabriel walking up the middle of the isle in soft buttery gold dresses, Ginny looked amazing, Harry thought, unable to tear his eyes away from her. Her dark auburn hair was tied in an elegant not, and tendrils of curls spilled down from it, it created an effect which made her look almost innocent, if it had not been for the ever present twinkle of mischief in her bright chocolate eyes. Much like the twins always had. She and Gabriel were also holding a small bouquet of fresh white roses each. Harry smiled remembering that Ginny had placed a white rose by his glasses as he had slept yesterday.

When he finally managed to tear his eyes away from Ginny he frowned.

Harry who had never been to a wizards wedding, and who only knew what should happen in a Muggle wedding (but hadn't actually been to one of those either), was at a loss to explain why Mr. Weasley was walking Fleur up the isle, when he was relatively sure that it should have been Mr. Delacour who walked his daughter up the isle. As soon as he had spotted Fleur, a woman standing at the front, next to Bill began to sing. She had silver hair and dark blue eyes. She was beautiful. Her song was unearthly, yet she had a beautiful voice, and the song flowed harmonically throughout the room. Harry was sure that she was a Veela, but he could not understand why her song wasn't effecting the male population as it normally did. He looked at Hermione, who also appeared to be as stumped as he was.

When Mr. Weasley had reached the front with Fleur, they stood to the right of the beautiful woman, who stopped singing and smiled widely. Harry could see that she had perfect teeth, which were pure white. Ginny, Gabriel and the Weasley brothers' sat down finally in the front isles.

"Join with me as we call upon the Veela, Wizards, Centaur, Fairies, Elves and all such good creatures to look upon this ceremony with us today to bless all present, but especially Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour. A True marriage is more than just the joining of two persons. In its right eminence, it is the uniting of two souls already speaking and attuned to one another. Bill Weasley you have chosen to bind your soul with my eldest Granddaughter Fleur's. Her father has agreed that you will make an excellent match." Still smiling Fleur's grandmother gestured to the man standing next to Bill, he, Harry presumed was Fleur's father. Harry couldn't see any hostility between the man and Bill, not like Bill had predicted and told Fleur about in the row he had overheard the other day. He must have been over reacting.

"Qui." Said the man standing next to Bill. He smiled and placed his hand on Bill's shoulder. "'Eeet is a privilege for Delacour family to join with the Weasley family. May 'zee joining be a prosperous and 'appy bond." He smiled at Mr. Weasley.

"Father of the Groom. Are you satisfied with the lady who stand's beside you? Are you confident that she will make a fine wife for your eldest son, and will you take her into your family and care for her as your daughter? Is this to be a happy union?" The woman questioned. Mr. Weasley smiled and looked down at Fleur; he took her hand in his, and turned to look at Mr. Delacour.

"A happy union it shall be. It is a pleasure for the Weasley family to accept this woman, as the wife of my eldest Son, a daughter and a sister. We are happy that the Weasley family can join with the Delacour family, a union which will be both a blessing and a privilege." He finished beaming happily; Harry noticed that he still held Fleur's hand. Mrs. Weasley was crying with happiness. Mr. Weasley then placed Fleur's hand into Bill's waiting one, and like Mr. Delacour had done with Bill, he placed his own hand upon Fleur's shoulder.

Fleur's Grandmother then looked at the Bride and Groom. Harry sensed that the father's had done their bit in the ceremony, giving permission for the wedding to continue. It was all very strange to Harry, strange, but rather beautiful.

"Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour, on this day you have chosen to make a solemn vow of courage to support one another in Holy Matrimony. It is a beautiful sight to see two young people who love one another as much as you both do, but know this, and heed my warning as the oldest family member. A marriage of souls cannot be reversed. It is an unbreakable commitment for all eternity, in life and death you will be one. Do you heed my warning?" She looked quite serious now, and Harry realised that there must not be such a thing as divorce in the Wizarding world.

"I do." Fleur reassured her grandmother, as did Bill, "As do I." The woman smiled again, and both fathers still beaming with pride took a step backwards, and stood a little way, away from the procession. Bill still held Fleur's hand. Harry heard Hermione sniff, and when he looked at her, she was smiling brilliantly, and crying with what he believed must have been joy. He was beginning to think that all women cried at weddings.

"Then the marriage of souls will continue. Love is a miraculous gift, and I ask you both in the presence of all those you hold dearly in your hearts, those who are present and those who have already passed over through the veil, to remember that love and loyalty alone will prevail, as they are the ingredients for a happy home. Will you swear to remember this?"

"I swear it." Fleur said throatily, Bill smiled at her, "I swear it."

"Are you agreeing that on this day, of the 30th July in the year of 1997 you will share strength, responsibilities, honesty and love with one another for ever more?" She asked.

"I am." Fleur said, Harry though she also sounded like she was crying, but he couldn't see as she was facing Bill. "I am also." Bill replied.

"In a moment I will invoke the ritual, and your souls will be one. I would like you to take this time, to say your own vows to one another, man, then woman, and I would then ask you to share a drink from this goblet, to seal these vows before I proceed."

Harry watched Bill look at Fleur, his eyes shining with a suppressed emotion. "I never knew what love was until I saw you that day at Hogwarts. You were so beautiful, so strong, and so courageous. You were only seventeen and yet, you were competing in a competition which had you facing dragons, solving hazy puzzles, staring danger in the face for your school, and you did it all without the smallest trace of fear, and I knew then, that you were special." He stopped speaking for a moment, collecting his thought before he continued.

"The day your sister was taken and placed in Hogwart's lake, you were frantic when they pulled you out of the water. The Grindylow's and Merpeople had hurt you, you were bleeding everywhere, shaking from the cold, almost blue in the face, and although no harm would have come to her, she was your only concern." He smiled, and his other hand caressed her cheek, wiping the tears away from her eyes. Harry could see Ginny looking at him, so he looked at her and smiled, she smiled back, brilliantly, and Harry was stunned to see that she was crying. Ginny hardly ever cried. The fact that she was, moved him, she was genuinely happy for her eldest brother.

"You wouldn't let Pomfrey heal you; you were fighting against the teacher's who were trying to restrain you, crying that you had to reach her. I thought that you were so selfless, and I thought that if someone who could give love like that, so, completely and unselfishly, could love me like that…. Who would be willing to crawl through hell for me, like you would have for Gabriel that day, then I would be the luckiest man in the world, and here I am, with you wanting to be my wife. Your standing by me when many women would chose to flee from marrying a man as disfigured as I am now. Loving me selflessly, loving me completely with the whole of your heart. I am truly, the luckiest man in the world." Harry could see tears in Bill's eyes; almost everyone had tears in their eyes or was crying completely at the heartfelt words Bill was giving to his future wife.

"So I'll make this vow to you today, my beloved Fleur. I will always love you selflessly. I will love you completely with my entire being. I will honour you in any way I can. I will always listen to you. I will stay loyal to you, and I promise you in front of everyone here today, that I will always fight for you, because you are the only woman I could ever love, and without you I would be lost." He kissed her hand.

Fleur took a moment to compose herself before speaking.

"Before you came into my life, 'zere was an emptiness in my 'eart that I could not fill. 'Zere had been many men 'oo flung 'zemselves at me, because of what I am, without wanting me, acting on 'zeir impulses, but you, you did not. You stood apart from 'zese men Bill. You did not fling yourself at me; you were I 'fink, too proud. You looked at me like we 'ad met before, and I too felt 'zat same feeling, and it was amazing, in 'zis life I knew that we 'adn't met, but it seemed obvious to me 'zat in a previous one, we must 'av. 'Zen you smiled, and my insides melted, and I knew 'zat I could not resist you, I did not want to resist you. You were like a magnet, where you were I wanted to be, wherever 'zat might be… It didn't matter as long as I could walk with you." She smiled radiantly at him.

"On 'zat dreadful night when we went to 'ogwarts to assist 'zem in 'zee defence of 'zee castle, I was told 'zat you 'ad been 'urt, and my 'eart felt like it was bleeding, all I could 'zink about was you. I knew 'zen 'zat I would willingly walk through 'ell for you, because if you are not alive, I see no point to living myself. You are my one true love, my soul mate, and I care not 'ow you look, or 'ow rich you are. I only care 'zat you love me for being me and not for what I am, 'zat you are alive and 'ealthy, because when I am not with you Bill Weasley my 'eart aches for you, you complete me, you are my other 'alf. So 'Zis I promise you in front of everyone 'ere today, 'zis is my vow to you Bill Weasley… I will always love you with every fibre of my body, because you are my soul mate. I will always honour you. I will listen to you always. I will always be loyal to you, and only you my darling, because now 'zat I 'ave the privilege of 'aving your love, I would never want to be without it." She kissed the back of his hand.

Fleur's grandmother handed them a golden goblet, which was full of some sort of liquid which in turn they drank. "Raise you hands, joined as one in front of you." Her grandmother ordered, they did as they were bayed and the woman continued to speak.

"You have affirmed your love for one another, and given your vows to one another, and now I will invoke the ancient ritual of the soul binding, for when two people love one another so truly, who would dare deny them?" She asked softly. The tip of her want was placed upon their joined hands, and she began to chant in a language that Harry did not understand, he knew it was not French, or Latin however, so therefore decided that it must be Veela.

The chant was beautiful, and like a phoenixes song, it made everyone feel warm and courageous, lifting their souls and making them feel extroadinarily happy. Harry wondered if this had been a Veela wedding ceremony, because after all, Fleur was half-Veela.

Colour's blazed from the wand, engulfing the couple, and the chant's sound amplified, when other voices began to chant in harmony with Fleur's grandmother. It was extraordinary to watch, until all of a sudden the voices stopped, and when the colours died down, Harry could see that Bill and Fleur were kissing each other heatedly, and judging by the embrace the two shared, they had kissing since the blazing colours had begun. Harry could see that they were also wearing rings on their ring finger now, whereas previously they had not been. The ring's were made of a single band of gold, signifying the commitment they had made too one another.

"You shall be one forevermore." Fleur's grandmother said quietly watching the couple kiss. Harry smiled, the wedding had been a very beautiful event, and that heartened him, because after everything Bill had been through recently, he deserved it.

* * *

**End of Ch4**

Well, what can I say? I've never written a wedding scene before, and I'm not sure what I think about it. I know there's a lot of fluff, but realistically, there always is at a wedding. What do you think? This chapter made me quite anxious. I'd love to hear from you all! So please review and tell me how I'm doing... if this scene is too fluffy etc… It's nice to get feed back! I also tried harder with Fleur's accent (sorry **bledding black rose** but it's what makes her… unique, lol).

I am touched that you all took the time to review my fic! **Jenbunny**, that has got to be once of the nicest review's I've ever gotten, I'm pleased (and embarrassed) that you think that and I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint you, because I don't know if I want to be responsible for your sanity slipping as well as mine, lol!

To **animus **I send you my humblest apologies. I write this mostly in the very wee hours of the morning when the house is quiet (It's 3.57am here, and I've been working on this chapter since 10pm), so as you can imagine that I'm shattered, but I'll try to do better when proof reading from now on. It's not your fault my muse comes out to play when I should be sleeping. **:o)**

To** bledding black rose, **again my apologies if I've annoyed you with Fleur's accent, but I like a challenge, and it's one of her little quirks that I felt bad for leaving out (If it annoys the majority, I'll stop it). You are one of my favorite reviewers! I remember you reviewing my other fics! I'll have a look at your 103 ways to kill Voldie when I've had some sleep i.e. later today. Yes Harry is Dumbledore's heir, but I've barely touched the surface of that yet **:o)**

To everyone, reviews are a rock when writing fan fiction. Thank you all!

**P.S** Did anyone else think Luna commentating that Quidditch game in HBP was one of the funniest thing's they've ever read? Lol! I laughed so hard, I cried! I've re-read that match about a thousand times! I love Luna, she's a scream!

Cheers, again Erin10

Revised 14/09/05


	5. Chapter Five

**Harry Potter and the Return to Godric's Hollow by Erin10.**

**Spoiler Warning: -** This fiction contains spoilers from **HPB**. If you haven't read **HBP**, don't read my fic! It won't make sense and I don't want to spoil HBP for anyone! Consider yourself _warned!_ I won't be held responsible if you read this and then complain that I spoilt the book for you!

**Disclaimer: -** Everything belongs to J.K Rowling! I own nothing! This is written purely for my own enjoyment, and after the last book my sanity depends on it!

**Chapter Five: - Birthday Bedlam.**

The wedding had been a beautiful distraction from the horror and darkness of war which surrounded them. Harry was glad that he had taken the effort to fit it into his schedule. It was however he had decided, time to take stock of his life and begin the journey to his ultimate goal, to avenge his parent's deaths and wipe Voldermort from the face of the earth. Only when this was done, Harry realised would he be able to begin his life the way he wished. If, by that time she still waited for him.

That was the hardest thing, he reckoned, he had broken things off between himself and Ginny to protect her, and for her sake he hadn't asked her to wait for him. He didn't even know if he would survive, therefore asking her to wait would have been a cruel thing to do.

He stuffed a shirt into his trunk quite forcefully. Even thinking about her was hard. He resolved to do so as little as possible. Instead he doused the monster which had risen once again within his chest with a bucket of icy water and concentrated on his task.

Various items of clothing were littered around his trunk, he knew that in reality he could do with buying some new clothes but decided that he would muddle along with Dudley's cast-offs until he really needed to purchase some new ones. Hermione had insisted that he and Ron packed their trunks properly, instead of the half hazard way in which they usual shoved everything (including empty sweet rappers) into it, apparently you never knew when you might need something quickly, and it was better to be organised. Harry for once had bowed to Hermione superior intellect knowing that she was probably right.

He heard a meow from the doorway and he turned to look at a tabby cat that looked at him intently. The cat had long hair, and Harry had never before seen the cat in his life. He frowned puzzled.

"Ron. Err… do you know that cat?" He asked Ron who was busy packing his trunk from the other side of the room.

"Ay? What cat Harry?"

Harry looked back to where the cathad stood. It had vanished, he began towipe his eyes, blinking, and begundebating the issue of his sanity.

"I…Never mind." He said quietly.

* * *

"…happy birthday dear Harry! Happy birthday to you!" The crowed sang together, making Harry blush. Never before had he had a birthday party, and it left him feeling slightly euphoric. He blew the candles out on top of his cake (all seventeen of them), and the small crowed cheered slightly.

He looked around at his friends and smiled. All the Weasley's bar Bill, Fleur and Percy were sitting around the table with Tonks, Remus, Moody and McGonagall. Presents were becoming piled in front of Harry and he blushed slightly, feeling quite awkward.

"Come on Harry! Open them then!" Ron said buoyantly, Hermione looked at the pair of them fondly smiling at Ron's antics. "Mine first!" he looked like a child in haste to make sure his best friend was having a good time, and Harry had no doubt that if it had been his birthday, Ron would have opened all of the presents already.

He took the present Ron offered him with a small smile of thanks. It was decorated in bright orange Chudley Cannon's paper; he smiled again realising that some things never change. Carefully peeling the rapping paper away he noticed that whatever Ron had brought him, it was in a box.

The box was plain; he looked in the box to see what he believed to be several old Muggle TV aerials. Harry's first reaction was to laugh thinking Ron was playing a trick on him, but after lifting them out he realised what he had not before, these were no ordinary television aerials, the aerials were rambled together to make a secrecy sensor. A secrecy sensor was an instrument designed to pick up the vibrations of evil approaching. Harry smiled then, widely.

"Thanks Ron. I think we all know these will come in handy." He smiled again. Hermione was beaming at Ron, probably because his choice of gift was so practical for once. She looked ready to kiss him, but instead she passed Harry two parcels, that had the distinct feeling of being books. Harry smiled knowing that books were defiantly a Hermione gift.

He opened them to see one entitled, Stealthy Silence by A.J Fletcher and Defending the Mind by Eileen Prince. Harry looked at Hermione after reading the authors name on the last one. Ron looked at it and then back to Hermione. "Are you _trying_ to be funny Hermione?" Ron snarled. She looked at them both with wide eyes.

"No. No… really you have to read the preface to the book, it was a natural talent to them both, that's probably why he was never good at teachingyou Harry! That's the best book on the subject and …" Ron however had, had enough.

"He didn't teach Harry properly because he's a Death Eater Hermione!" He said fiercely, slamming his palm into the wooden table. Everyone looked at the three aghast, they had no idea what had made Ron cause the scene.

"That's really insensitive! Especially on his birthday!" Ron carried on looking at Hermione although she was the three headed dog fluffy. Harry shook his head and placed the books down on the floor by his chair.

"Stop it." He said with quiet authority, his temples were beginning to throb unpleasantly. "Ron, when have you ever known Hermione to be deliberately malicious? You haven't bothered to hear her full explanation, and I'm sure there's a good one! If Hermionetells you thatit's the best book on the subject then it is. We've been through enough sticky situations to know not to question her intellect." Ron started to look somewhat embarrassed. "Anyway, it's not the time to be discussing this." Harry looked around the table to the numerous guests, "Well discuss it later alright? But for the record Hermione, is the other writer related to Dung?" She nodded. "Thank you. I know these will probably come in handy for all of us as well." She nodded and spoke quietly.

"That's what I though when I brought them." He winced at the hurt tone of her voice. Ron had some serious making up to do with her.

"That blue one's ours Harry, from myself and Tonks." Lupin told him trying to break the tension. Harry smiled in thanks and picked the gift up, from the feel of it, he though it had to be more books. This was not however, necessarily a bad thing. It was a compendium of books, three books to help Aurors survive and fight the Dark Arts.

The first was entitled, 'The Dark Arts Outsmarted.' The second was entitled 'Jinxes for the Jinxed,' and finally 'A Compendium of Common Curses and Their Counter-Actions.' Harry smiled and looked at them both.

"Thank you very much. That was very kind of you." He saw Hermione inching forward to see what books he had received, he laughed slightly and passed them to her. She looked at all three and then smiled.

"Would you look at that! These are the books we used from the Room of Requirement for the DA!" She asked looking at Ron, Ginny, Harry and finally Fred and George. They all smiled remembering the group Harry had lead, Dumbledore's Army. Harry laughed.

"I thought they were familiar. Do you think the room took them from the library?" He asked looking at Hermione thumb through them.

"I don't think so. I think people would have noticed them disappearing and notified someone." Hermione mumbled busy devouring the books.

"You were a brilliant teacher Harry. We learned loads, didn't we Fred? More than we did in any other lesson really. Dead useful, the stuff you taught us, one of the reason we thought up of 'Defence,' line, wasn't it Fred?" George said whilst eating a piece of Harry's birthday cake.

Harry blushed slightly, knowing that Fred and George rarely praised a person without doing it in a back-handed way, which was always amusing and humorous to watch.

"I wouldn't go that far, you would have learnt it all if we'd had a decent teacher that year in Defence but it was a good distraction that year." Harry said, the others smiled at his modesty.

"It was more than that and you know it Harry!" Harry looked up to see Ginny's bright brown eyes boring into him. "You gave people like Luna and Neville the chance to feel like they were a part of a group and not friendless. They were the ones who missed the group the most last year, and you know Neville thrived under your teaching him, you saw the difference in him last year, better spell work, more confidence. In fact I think you were a role model for quite a few of the group after that, and most importantly, many of them turned up to help fight in the siege of the castle last month. They would have been goners if they hadn't had all that practice! Stop selling yourself short!"

"It was Neville's new wand that made the difference in his spell work, he was using his dads before, andit wasn't a good match for him and as for none of you in the DA getting hurt in the siege, well… that was the potion, wasn't it? Yougot lucky." Harry said patiently. Ginny made a noise in her throat like a strangled cat.

"There wasn't enough of the potion to go around and to last Harry! Ron, Hermione, Luna, Neville and I. Well we were the only ones who had it! I wish it had been you who took it with you!" She told him loudly.

"Well, I'm glad that it was you." He told her softly. She looked at him; he could see theguilt shiningplainly for himto seein her eyes.

"He was more important Harry."

"So you mean that I should have sacrificed five lives for his? Do you think he would have wanted that? Do you think he could have lived with himself? Five students of his dead, that would have killed him, Gin, and I had to do something, he wouldn't listen to me when I told him Malfoy and Snape were up to something that night! Do you think I could have lived with myself if I had taken the potion, and you… you died?" He said angrily, "I've already told you that Ginny! Remember that day, the conversation we had? If anything happened to you, well, you know exactly how I feel."

"You never gave me the choice Harry, and it was my choice to make, just like Hermione and Ron have chosen to go with you. Just like Neville and Luna would like to choose too. Stop shutting me out!" She stomped her foot when saying the last sentence, she looked at him fiercely. "…And stop thinking you're the only one with a score to settle with Voldermort or have you already forgotten my first year at Hogwarts?" She laughed angrily, "He was teaching you all about his life, but the one thing he forgot was that he was in my head for most of the year, and I know him inside out. I know what makes him tick, what makes him happy, and why he is what he is! I could help you if you'd get over yourself and stop making my decisions for me!"

"You're underage." He said coolly, Ginny shook her head in defiance.

"That never stopped you before so why should I let it stop me?" She looked like a mother lion trying to protect her pride, he though suddenly.

"That's enough of this talk. Ginny you're not going anywhere and neither for that matter is Harry. You're all going to Hogwarts on September the first like usual. You're only children, you need to finish your education." Mrs Weasley intervened looking at Ginny and Harry as though trying to solve a puzzle. It was only then that Harry realised that everyone apart from McGonagall (possibly), and Ron and Hermione had no clue that he and Ginny had been dating. Lupin however looked at him shrewdly, and Harry knew that the intelligent man had probably pieced it all together.

"That's where you're wrong Mrs. Weasley; I think I've learnt all that Hogwarts has to teach me." Harry told her forcefully because no one was going to stop him in his task. He had, had this conversation with Mrs. Weasley on his first night at the Burrow, and he had thought that she had come round to his point of view, but she obviously hadn't realised that he, Ron and Hermione never intended to finish Hogwarts.

"Do you mean to tell me that I am losing two Gryffindor prefects and my Quidditch Captain?" McGonagall asked sounding very shocked. Harry bowed his head slightly, "Yes, I had meant to tell you earlier."

"But Miss Granger, you know what you are giving up?" She asked still looking shocked. Harry realised that there was something amiss here; something Hermione hadn't told him, or Ron judging by the look he was giving her.

"So, you do not wish to be Head Girl?" She asked sounding surprised. Everyone looked at Hermione in shock.

"It's not a big deal." She shrugged modestly. Harry looked at her gravely.

"To you it is Hermione. I have to do this, you and Ron… you don't." He looked at them, and McGonagall looked at Harry.

"And what about you Potter?" She asked, her features returning somewhat to normal, as the shock of loosing her most prized pupil began to leave her.

"What about me?"

"He never opened his letter Professor." Hermione supplied McGonagall. McGonagall looked at Harry sternly. "Well, go on then Potter. Open it." He looked at her in surprise and pulled the crumpled paper out of his pocket. He opened the letter, and a badge fell into his palm. It had the initial HB engraved on it.

He frowned. "Another Big-Head boy!" The twins crowed together. Harry shook his head.

"Not me." He smiled slightly. At the beginning of his fifth year he had felt jealous that Ron had gotten to be the Gryffindor fifth year prefect, and he had though when seeing this badge that he would feel the loss, knowing that he had to sacrificeanother thing he wanted for his mission. He was surprised because he felt neither. It didn't matter anymore because he knew that his mission was his choice to stand andfight, and to keep fighting. He knew that, that was more important than being Head Boy.

"I'm honoured that you think thatI'm up to thistask Professor, but you already know that I can't accept this." He smiled and handed the badge back to her, "Even if I was going back to Hogwarts I don't think I would have accepted it. I'm a confirmed rule breaker, and I get too much attention for being me as it is without having to help take care of the other students." He laughed at the look the twins gave him. They looked immensely proud of him.

"Well I say Fred. Our little Harrikins has grown up."

"Yeah George, our little marauder isn't he,'ickle Prongs juniorhaving too much fun fighting the big bad Dark arse….." Fred was interrupted by his mother, Mrs. Weasley who looked at them severely.

"The Dark Lord isn't someone you should be taking the Mickey out of!" She screeched but Harry had started laughing loudly.

"You should know Harry that it was at Professor Dumbledore's recommendation. He picked the new prefects and Head Girl and Boy before he died. He felt that he had done you a great disservice." He nodded, knowing that she was talking aboutDumbledore not making him a prefect in his fifth year, and that she was also trying to sway him into staying at Hogwarts.

"I don't think Professor Dumbledore knew he was going to die that soon Professor, although he knew it was apossibility. If he was still alive then I would stay at Hogwarts, no disrespect to you intended Professor, but as I am Dumbledore's heir, I do intent to finish the job he began." He took a deep breath, "You should also know that I plan to leave tonight. Today my mothers sacrifice, my protection, it has run out. I am a danger to everyone, and I'm living on borrowed time,especially by staying in the same place for more than a few days."

"Tonight?" Lupin asked quietly, and Harry nodded.

"As Dumbledore would say, we leave in the cloak of darkness. It's safer that way, and Ron and I passed our apparition test earlier today, so, that will be our mode of transport. We only need to know our apparation point, which I am relying on you to tell me Professor Lupin, and I am relying on you not to tell anyone where that is."

Remus Lupin looked at Harry intently.

"I'll tell you, and you can trust me not to breath a word of it to anyone else." He told him firmly, apparently making his decision with far more ease than Harry would have believed.

* * *

**End Of Ch5.**

**Excuse the lateness of this chapter. I had to re-write it after getting a Virus which corrupted my word files, add on the fact that I've moved home and you get the idea that I've had precious free time.**

**Review Responses to come with the next chapter, you'll have to excuses me when I beg off writing them tonight. I'm way too tired. It's 3.43am! Damn, another late night for me!**

**Please review, it'll make my day!**

**Erin10**


	6. Chapter Six

**Harry Potter and the Return to Godric's Hollow by Erin10.**

**Spoiler Warning: -** This fiction contains spoilers from **HPB**. If you haven't read **HBP**, don't read my fic! It won't make sense and I don't want to spoil HBP for anyone! Consider yourself _warned!_ I won't be held responsible if you read this and then complain that I spoilt the book for you!

**Disclaimer: -** Everything belongs to J.K Rowling! I own nothing! This is written purely for my own enjoyment, and after the last book my sanity depends on it!

**Chapter Six: - Camping and Surprises. **

Remus Lupin had been as good as his word, and after a farewell in which Mrs. Weasley had cried and raged at the decision, and Mr. Weasley had been careworn and resigned Harry, Hermione and Ron all stood on the outskirts of a Muggle village named Godric's Hollow.

The three had shrunken their trunks (which had required quite a bit of magical talent, well beyond Ordinary Wizarding Level), and the boys had stored their trunks away in their jean pockets, Hermione however, always practical had also acquired a side bag from Ginny in which she had placed her trunk and anything she thought they might need quickly. The baby blue bag was slung over her left shoulder.

"Very small place, isn't it?" Ron said peering up the hill, which led to a smattering of cottages. Hermione tutted.

"Do you ever listen properly with your full attention Ron? That's the beginning of the village. According to Professor Lupin if we walk up that hill we'll come to the beginning of the village, and then if we follow the main road around we'll come to the centre of the village. He said that in the village centre there used to be a small hotel. He didn't know if it would still be there."

They both turned to Harry who had been very quiet during their exchange; he was busy looking at the sign, which sat next to them on the left side of the road. The sign read, 'Welcome to Godric's Hollow, please drive slowly.'

"So where in England is Godric's Hollow then?" Ron asked pulling a chocolate frog out of his pocket and unwrapped it slowly. He ate the chocolate and looked at the card, which accompanied it. He winced slightly putting it in his pocket without mentioning it.

"Godric's Hollow is situated in Dartmoor. On the verge of the National Park, in Devon. Actually we aren't that far from Ottery St. Catchpole." Hermione answered looking at Ron questioningly,she was baffled byhis actions with the famous chocolate frog card.

He shook his head and looked at Harry, who hadn't spoken since they had left the Burrow.

"Harry?" Hermione asked hesitantly whilst pulling her white Muggle coat around her tightly. He began to snap out of his daydream slowly as her voice penetrated the misty fog that surrounded his mind. This place seemed familiar and yet not familiar at the same time, and his body was beginning to feel so many conflicting emotions that his mind was becoming numb with shock quite quickly.

"Sorry." He said In barely more than a whisper finally looking at her.

She was shocked at what she saw, he looked lost, and his eyes held a look of raw pain which she had never seen in them before, as though his very soul was being torn in two. The look made his eyes look abnormally green, and wider which made them look more dazzling than ever before. The lost, lonely feeling that seemed to radiate from his body chilled his friends to their core.

"It's okay. I just wondered… well… whether you wanted to find a place to sleep first, or if you wanted to go and see… your old home now." She asked hesitantly, the shock of the vulnerability of her usually iron willed and strong friend seemed to be wearing off as she took charge of the situation.

Harry thought about the question. Hard. He was split in two. He couldn't understand why only moments ago, before their arrival, he had wanted to see his old home with every fibre in his body, but yet, now they had arrived a sinking feeling of dread rose in his chest trying to choke him; what if the place didn't live up to his expectations. What if the Muggles had built over it? His mind was working overtime, and new fears were being founded every second. This was his only lead, if he did not find anything here, then he was at a loss of how to go on. This meant everything, and not only to him.

"I… Well, tomorrow I think. Ron looks about ready to fall asleep and it'll be better to go in the morning light." Hermione's voice told him, making his decision for him. Ron went to speak, but she trod on his foot. He yelped and held his foot, massaging it.

"What did you go and do that for?" He asked angrily. She looked at him airily.

"Oh, sorry, was that your foot? I thought it was a stick." She told him breezily. Ron murmured, 'girls,' under his breath and massaged his foot.

"And anyway…" Hermione continued now that Ron had seized his angry mutterings. "…According to Lupin, your old house is on the other side of the village Harry, and it's still there apparently, they haven't built over it because it was willed to you, so since you're now of age, the grounds are yours to do whatever you please with."

Hermione had stripped away one of his fears, but, he thought miserably, there was still many, many more to contend with.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later when they had found the small hotel, which turned out to be a bed and breakfast which was closed, they stood once again where they had begun. 

"Lucky I brought this thing." Ron murmured as they began to set the tent up.

"Wasn't going to but Dad made me, said you never knew when one would come in handy." He continued to talk as they worked. "It's the one we stayed in at the Quidditch World Cup, the summer before forth year, except dad's extended and updated it slightly. It's got two bedrooms a sitting room, a kitchen and a separate bathroom area." He said proudly, "Except it's a bit old, dad got it of Granddad before I was born apparently. You should see the ones they've designed now! They're really luxurious apparently." He sniffed as they eventually managed to get the tent up.

"Hermione do you know any Muggle 'notice me not' spells to cover it?" Harry asked quietly, and she nodded, and quickly cast one silently around the tent area.

"Tomorrow Ron, I'd check with me or Hermione before you talk to any of the Muggles, and make sure your wands not visible to them but that you can draw it quickly if needed. In fact we should probably put up some spells for defence, and to let us know if anyone's near. Slughorn had them on the house he was using last year. Do you think they'll be in one of my books?" He asked taking his trunk from his pocket and unshrinking it.

"Dead useful that." Ron muttered following suit. "Wish we'd known how to do that an age ago."

* * *

"Well I think that's it." Harry told them as he entered the tent. "I've placed the detection charm up; we should have at least three minutes notice before being invaded, if it comes to that." He reassured them as he watched them look nervous. 

"Really it's just a precaution, and Hermione you've made sure that the Muggles can't see us. Did you say that if they looked they would see a rusty old iron shed?"

Harry had snapped out of his depression rather quickly, although he still felt quite numb. She had nodded at his question.

"Here. I made us all a cup of tea. Your dad even put some milk and tea bags in the kitchen. He's really thoughtful Ron; there are also some pumpkin pasties if anyone's hungry." She said passing Harry a cup of tea.

"I was also thinking that we're too noticeable, everyone knows you Harry, and they're beginning to hear about Ron and myself. Do you think we should do something about our appearance?" She asked sipping her tea.

"You're not wrong." Ron murmured. "My hair and freckles are a dead give away, and Harry's trade mark messy black hair, and your bushy brown hair. All we need is a Witch or Wizard to live in this village who knew the Potters and they'll put two and two together." He said logically.

"That's the last thing we need." Harry agreed, he wasn't looking forward to changing his appearance however.

"I think we should find a charm to grow your hair Harry. It would be appropriate because of your status, you're of age now and you're the eldest surviving family member."

Ron nodded in agreement, "And because you're Sirius's and Dumbledore's heir. Mum would kill me if I did, it wouldn't be appropriate for me, but I could see that look on you!" He said smiling slightly when Harry grimaced.

"It's logical Harry. Your dad never had long hair, and maybe if you grow it out then it'll lose most of its unruliness. We need to stop you looking like a carbon copy of your father, or people around here might think they've seen a ghost." Hermione told him smiling at the blatant disgust on his face.

"New clothes would be good too, everyone knows you wear your cousins cast off's thanks to Rita Skeeter. They also make you stick out like a sore thumb." Harry shot her a dirty look.

"Why don't you pick on Ron?" He asked shuddering slightly. The long hair had made him think of Malfoy Senior. That thought really did disgust him.

"We need to change your hair colour, maybe light brown, red hairs a bit too much of a giveaway." Ron shrugged at Hermione's assessment of him.

"Whatever you say, aren't girls better at that sort of thing?" Ron asked teasing her; he looked her up and down, leering slightly.

"What about you Hermione? How about the Tonk's look with bright pink hair?" He laughed as she looked affronted.

"No your right, it wouldn't go with your complexion." She hit him.

* * *

Harry woke up suddenly, the hairs on the back of his neck prickled unpleasantly. He saw a person standing above him but knew that it could not be Ron as he was busy snoring away on the other side of the room. 

"It's not like you to have your guard down Harry, sloppy actually. I could have been anyone." A familiar voice told him, the person was pointing their wand in his side slightly.

"Never mind, that's a good thing for me I suppose, and I've got you where I want you and this time your not wriggling away from me."

He squinted into the dark. The person lent forward so that their face was visible in the candle light.

"Ginny?" He asked incredulously. As he managed at last to see her fiery red locks and her bemused brown eyes roving over him.

"The one and only, now get dressed and come into the front room, I don't want to wake Ron."

She lent over and placed a chaste kiss on his lips.

"Do I even want to know what you were dreaming about?" She asked bemusedly, as she walked brazenly out of the room. Harry blushed and thanked Merlin that it was dark in the room.

* * *

"What in Merlin's name do you think your doing?" He whispered angrily when he finally reached the front room. 

Ginny ignored him and placed a silencing charm around the room. Harry looked at her aghast.

"That's brilliant that is! After all the effort we've gone to make sure that neither Voldermort nor the Ministry can find us and you flout the underage restriction of magic law! They'll be able to track us now!"

"Harry." She tried to interrupt him but he was having none of it.

"They'll be swooping down on us in any moment, go and wake Hermione, I'll get Ron up, we need to move quickly and we haven't even looked around yet!" He rambled, he did not notice Ginny turning almost as red as her hair, or her brown eyes sharpening in contempt. She stopped him at the door to his room.

"I haven't broken the law you idiot! If you read the Daily Prophet then you would know that the Ministry's rescinded the law of underage magic and if you managed to get at least an A in the key compulsory Owl subjects then you're now allowed to use magic outside of school for security reasons! You would also know that Hogwarts is re-opening officially with the blessings of the Hogwarts Board of Governors, but that they don't expect many people to attend. They've said that those who don't want to go can be home schooled, but thatthey will have to sit their exams at Hogwarts at the end of the year!" She snapped angrily.

"… and I put a silencing charm around this room because I've got a hell of a lot to say to you, you git and I don't know if I'll be able to control myself from walloping you, you pigheaded buffoon!" She shouted.

"What did you miss when I told you we needed to talk? Did you even plan to sit down and talk with me, even when I asked you nicely? You didn't even say good bye! You just got up and left!" She poked him in the ribs.

"Stop that." Harry muttered angrily, but he quelled under her fierce glare.

"And I for one think I'm big enough to make my own decisions about my future and I'm not letting you go without a fight! Not when it took me forever and a day to get you in the first place. Voldermort can go to hell; I won't let him destroy what we have!" Ginny poked him in the ribs again.

"And you can stop being all noble right now! I've seen evil up close and personally, I know how dangerous Voldermort is, but I'm not eleven anymore and it's not your duty to protect me! I can do that myself! So where did you get off telling me that it was for my own good? Who made you Merlin?" She hissed her anger was palpable around the room.

"I know the risks better than most people Harry! I know what he could do it he got hold of me, but I don't care! Something's are worth it!"

Her eyes were blazing, and she looked fierce, like she could rip him apart and spit on the individual pieces. It was a frightening thing to see, but it made her look very beautiful. Her lips were red, her hair multi coloured with different tones of red, her eyes narrowed in feline like slits, twinkling with unshed fury.

"Did you think I would sit at home like a good girl and let you go off and fight? I want to be right beside you, every step of the way. You're not the only one with a score to settle with Voldermort!"

Harry's eyes were frozen on her soft, blood red lips. He did the only thing he knew that would silence her.

He matched his lips onto hers and pulled her into a fiery kiss. She smacked his back, not happy with the tactics he employed on her, but she soon quietened down and melted into his arms.

"Did anyone tell you that when you're angry you explode, literally?" Harry asked when they surfaced for air.

"Did anyone tell you that you're the biggest, most noble prat that I've ever had the pleasure of meeting?" She asked softly, while he held her.

"Yes, you have, once or twice." Harry murmured smelling her hair, the flowery scent that she always seemed to smell of wafted around him. He smiled.

"Hadn't you better tell Hermione you're here?" He asked quietly. Ginny laughed softly squeezing him slightly.

"She knew I was coming, fully approved of it too. She just doesn't know how I managed to get here." Harry could feel her smiling against his chest.

"And how did you manage that?" He asked baffled. She kissed him chastely.

"Have you ever seen a cat that didn't want to be found?" She asked slyly, "I hitched a lift in the bag I let Hermione borrow when it was obvious that you were never going to say goodbye to me."

"Your mum will kill me." He said sighing and thinking about Ron. Would Ron go ballistic? He hoped not, he knew Ginny was not about to go without a spectacular fight.

"Yes we can expect a howler in the morning." She said cheerfully, "I left her a letter explaining things; I think dad expected it anyway, he left two beds in the girl's room." She laughed.

They sat on the settee and fell asleep in one another's arms. Tomorrow would be the day to explore the village, change their appearances and find out if Godric's Hollow held any secretes.

**

* * *

****End Ch6.**

Okay, this chapter was getting way to long so I've split it in two. You'll find out about Godric's Hollow in a few days.

Anyone know where I can get a Beta Reader?

Please read and review! You wouldn't believe the percentage of reviewers to the hits numbers! Something like 5400 people have looked at this fic, and I've got 50 reviews. Not that I'm complaining, I'll take what I can get, but it's nice to be appreciated.

Sorry if you hated the fluffiness of this chapter. It won't always be like this. I promise! I took down the lyrics on ever chapter except the first to stop annoying people!

Review Responses!

**Cassandra Lee: -** Did this answer your question? Lol! Ginny, let Harry go quietly? I don't think so! XD I quite enjoyed writing the verbal tongue lashing she gave him. Honestly how noble can one person really be?

**Faithfulwriter: -** I've done as you asked in every chapter now. It was a bit much, wasn't it?

**Gfoyle:** - Concerning school? I don't think JK would have written Harry as saying that he wouldn't be going to school, if he actually did in the end. Surely that would have been a waste of time? JK never minces her words .Harry won't be attending Hogwarts as a student, but he might visit, I'm undecided.

**Lizlovegood12: -** Me? I'm eighteen and from England. Cheers for reviewing, I hope you liked this chapter.

**Sonic0815: -** I'm glad you liked it, and read it even though it's full of mistakes. I've gotten a bit sloppy with that since I finished college; hopefully with the new term approaching I'll hone my skills into shape. I'll look for a Beta also. Thanks for reviewing!

To everyone else, you're all brilliant! Drop me a line, any questions etc and I'll try to answer them!

Remember, please take the time to R/R

Erin10


	7. Chapter Seven

**Harry Potter and the Return to Godric's Hollow by Erin10.**

**Spoiler Warning: -** This fiction contains spoilers from **HPB**. If you haven't read **HBP**, don't read my fic! It won't make sense and I don't want to spoil HBP for anyone! Consider yourself _warned!_ I won't be held responsible if you read this and then complain that I spoilt the book for you!

**Disclaimer: -** Everything belongs to J.K Rowling! I own nothing! This is written purely for my own enjoyment, and after the last book my sanity depends on it!

**Special Thanks to molly Arthur Weasley for beta reading my story! Thank you!**

**Chapter Seven: _- The Heir Returns._**

Harry awoke to an unpleasant sensation of being watched, as the hairs on the back of his neck prickled warningly. He could feel Ginny using his chest as a pillow, and he could feel her breathing evenly. He cracked one eye open and observed that it was Ron Weasley who was watching him intently. He closed his eye again hoping against hope that Ron had not seen him stir awake, but it was no good.

"Morning Harry. We seem to have had a visitor in the night, why didn't you wake me and Hermione to join your party?" Ron's voice was clipped. He wasn't very happy that his sister had tagged along. Harry winced internally.

"It wasn't much of a party." Harry admitted feeling as though he had somehow betrayed his best friend by not turning his sister away, and the other half of him (which he would never admit in a million years) felt that Ron could stuff it as long as Ginny never moved from his arms.

"No? Well you two sure look comfortable cuddled up together like that." Ron said angrily, "How long have you planed this? What was all that rubbish you sprouted about leaving her for her own good?" He questioned barely louder than an angry whisper.

"It wasn't planned. I had a right earful from Ginny yesterday, she wasn't happy with me for leaving without speaking to her." Harry admitted sheepishly and hoping that Ron would cool down and leave them alone.

"Well now she's said what she had to say to you she can leave." Ron said firmly, "Or I'll be the one that mum blames, it won't be you or her because you can do no wrong in my mum's eyes, it'll be my entire fault, you just see if it isn't."

"You're a right hypocrite at times Ron." Ginny was awake, but Harry had no idea how long she had been listening. "What about the times I've taken the blame and punishment from mum for something you've done? I never even squealed and told mum when you used Charlie's wand and burned down the kitchen did I? I took the blame for all the good it did me, I was grounded for three months and she still never lets me live that incident down, so you can consider this repayment in full."

She had sat up from Harry in her tirade and he could see that her eyes were burning, as her resolve hardened.

"It's going to be dangerous Ginny." Ron moaned slightly looking conflicted by his brotherly duties and her offer.

"You're being a hypocrite again! Have you been possessed by evil for a whole year? Did you know that the Dark Arts even taste fowl? I remembered everything about my first year and those things he made me do and believe me when I say that none of it was sweetness and light, it was downright disturbing! I went with you to the Ministry and held my own, it was you and Hermione who were injured, I escaped with only a broken ankle, and I held my own in the siege of Hogwarts! Need I continue or is that enough proof that I deserve and am capable of being here?"

Ron shook his head and looked away, Harry thought that he was embarrassed; he could see a faint trace of a blush on his cheeks. "Fine, Hermione's made breakfast in the kitchen."

* * *

"_How dare you wander off with only a note to inform us of your decision! You're only a child; you have no right to make a decision like that without my consent and I don't give it to you! I never believed you'd do something so utterly stupid Ginevra Weasley, and those three letting you! You should be going to Hogwarts where you belong! You got twelve Owls, and eight of those were outstanding and you're just chucking it all away! I didn't raise you to be like this Ginevra Molly Weasley, and Fred and George have just informed me that you and Harry have been dating for the past several months and no one bothered to inform me about that development! It's bad enough that Ron and Hermione are off gallivanting around with no adult chaperone, but for you to leave as well! You're father will be the talk of the Ministry! I hope you're proud of yourself, because when you get back, and you're to come home right now, then I'm sending you to a convent! Do you hear me? Ronald Weasley you bring her home immediately, you should never have allowed her to follow you in the first place, so don't think you're off the hook either, leading your little sister astray! Come home, now!"_

"She's never happy." Ron said watching the red envelope tear itself into pieces and igniting into cinders leaving no trace. "Either you don't leave a note telling her where you're going and she goes mental or you do leave her a note and she goes ballistic anyway. You can't win." He seemed happier now that he had consumed three rashes of bacon, 2 eggs and some toast. Ginny sat staring moodily at where the remains of the Howler had been, her breakfast, which had hardly been touched, sat in front of her, she pushed it away and leaned back into her seat.

"Anyway, how are we going to disguise ourselves?" Ron asked looking around the table. Hermione smiled slightly at Ron's attempt to diffuse an uncomfortable silence which made Harry scowl but made Ginny smile.

"I liked the idea of you having long hair." Ginny said softly to Harry whilst imagining running her fingers through it, "No one would see through it because everyone knows that you're about as naive as a five year old when it comes to old Wizarding traditions." She saw the darkening expression of his face and spoke quickly to placate him, "… not that that's your fault or anything, because you had to grow up with those awful Muggles you were deprived of a lot of common knowledge that Ron and I take for granted."

"I'm not having long hair." Harry said stubbornly making Ginny scowl again.

"Oh for Merlin's sake! No one's saying that you should dye your hair bottle blond and prance around like a Malfoy reject Harry! We're only saying that we think that your hair would look good grown out a bit; perhaps get some of the unruliness under control! It would stop you looking so much like your dad; because everyone and I mean everyone, knows that you are practically a carbon copy of James Potter only with…"

"My mothers eyes." Harry snapped feeling vulnerable that she had spotted why he was against the idea of long hair in a matter of moments.

"Don't you dare interrupt me again Harry!" Her liquid fire chocolate eyes flashed dangerously, "We talked about this last year down by the lake and I know you hate being constantly compared with him and never your mother, and growing your hair out is a sure way of stopping all of that so why are you protesting against this so much?"

That stumped him, he didn't know why really, only that he hated the sound of it, and he didn't want to be linked to his father anymore after he had seen the memory of him in the pensive, she was right. He looked up at her and watched her eyes flash triumphantly. This was not going to be a pleasant experience.

* * *

Four strangers strolled up the main street of Godric's Hollow in the glorious sunshine, one tall and lanky boy with sandy brown hair, freckles and blue eyes, his arm was snaked around a smaller woman with brown eyes and straight blond hair which framed her face. Another couple walked behind them close together and holding hands, one who was only a little shorter than the first man, with black straight hair, which hung a little way passed his shoulders. The tips of his hair curled slightly into his face, and you could see hues of deep bloody red reflecting from his hair when the sunlight caught it. His eyes were a brilliant emerald green colour; no glasses adorned his face. The last woman was petite in stature, with curly dark brown hair, which hung in soft tendrils around her face.

"You'll have to remember to thank Hermione for knowing the correct way to correct your eye sight." Ginny told Harry softly squeezing his hand. "Even if it only lasts for a month, it's better than nothing." He smiled slightly in reply. "You know, you look much more like your mother like that. From the pictures you've shown me anyway. It's strange don't you think, that a small thing like letting your hair grow and ditching your glasses would change your appearance as drastically as it has." She murmured. "You can tell you have her cheekbones, long eyelashes and the same full lips now."

"I have your approval then?" He asked laughing slightly.

"You will when you find the time to buy a new wardrobe of clothes Harry. Your aunt gave you the worst clothing possible. Even mine fits better, perhaps I could see if I can charm them to fit you?" She asked wistfully.

"We're nearly there. From what the Professor said, it's just down the road." Hermione and Ron stopped to tell them suddenly, Harry tensed, and Ginny wrapped her arm around his waist in a comforting gesture as Ron and Hermione walked on. She looked into his eyes.

"It's only natural to feel apprehensive Harry, I know I would, but you have to remember that you're not alone okay? We're with you on this, and we care about you." She brushed some hair from his face and kissed him softly; she drew back and squeezed him, feeling some of his tension ebb away.

"I love you." It was the first time that she had openly admitted it in front of him and he found himself smiling. "I love you too." It was only after he had said the words, that he realised that he had never before uttered those particular words to anyone, and while people had shown him that they cared about him, no one had ever said those words to him. Like the Phoenix song, she had just given him hope.

* * *

A wreckage of destruction met their eyes and Harry had to wonder why none of the Muggles had complained about the blot of devastation marring the countryside. You could see that the place would once have been a beautiful home, a loving home that had been annihilated by Voldermort.

Anger pounded through his veins, he had once been happy here with his parents. Voldermort had denied him of his childhood when he cast the first killing curse, condemning him to ten long years of neglect and depression. Unbridled passion for revenge swept over him, he wanted Voldermort's blood for this, and one way or another he would have it.

His gaze swept over the ruins of the building, the outline of the building was still plainly visible. In its glory days it would have been a large two-story cottage. The second floor had collapsed when the ceiling had fallen through, that in itself was suspicious, as there was no fire damage evident for them to see.

"It's strange, don't you think that the ceiling would have fallen through, when there was absolutely no reason for it?" Harry murmured to his friends, whilst bending down to inspect the rubble.

"Yes Harry but you… well you have to remember that nothing about this situation is normal. I mean, you shouldn't have survived the killing curse, and I… I don't understand why you weren't crushed when the roof caved in." Hermione looked at him knowing that he hated that he was the-boy-who-lived.

"Albus believed that it was because of Lily's sacrifice, that the protections managed to not only deflect the killing curse but that it also protected you when the house collapsed. I say protections here because your mother and father put quite a few around you, old enchantments and the like. Lily even managed to invent a few of her own protections, brilliant with charms Lily was." A voice spoke from behind them and Harry turned to see Remus Lupin looking at him solemnly.

"There was also something else that wasn't commonly known, Sirius told me last year. Your father was researching into the possibility of deflecting and defeating the Unforgivable Curses Harry. He was always fascinated by the idea, your mother was helping him too, and it could be that he finally managed it. Sirius and I looked for the files they kept on their progress; we couldn't find them anywhere. Your parents must have hidden them away somewhere."

Hermione looked fascinated but Harry bowed his head slightly, he just had more questions with no answers, and no leads of where to get the information.

"Didn't… Didn't they have a job?" Harry asked finally, a question which he would be given a concrete answer instead of more and more question which was making his head pound with the familiar feeling of an on coming headache. Could his Aunt and Uncle have been right in their assertion of the fact that his parents were unemployed layabouts? It was an irrational fear, which flooded over him making him feel more than a little uneasy.

"Has no one ever told you that?" He looked at him pityingly for a slight second, Harry shook his head and he continued. "Your mother was training to become a healer for St Mungo's. She was revelling in it and breezing through the course, she liked the challenge of identifying the problems and then solving them. Nothing's clear-cut with magical injuries you know, it takes a lot of intellect to be able to identify the problem and then to rectify it. Your father didn't really need to work, James' family was very wealthy and he was undecided about what he wanted to do in life. Your father wanted to become an unspeakable, but that department doesn't really like to employ married people with families' dependent on them, in case anything goes wrong. Nobody actually knows besides that one fact what the department does, except that it's related to the Department of Mysteries. In fact if your father was hired to that profession then I'm sure he wouldn't have told anyone, they value secrecy in that Department."

"Oh." Harry murmured taking a while to pull himself together. Relief had flooded him when Remus had uttered those magic words, and now knowing that his parents weren't bone idle, unemployed or scroungers laid some of his most carefully guarded fears to rest.

"I don't mean to be rude…" Hermione began looking hesitantly at her old Professor, "..but what brings you here Professor?"

"Arthur Weasley wanted me to come by and see if Ginny had arrived safely. He didn't even seem surprised that you had left Ginny, unlike your mother, and I forgot to mention this before you left but your family graveyard is a little way behind the ruins Harry, all you have to do is follow the footpath. I also, like requested have told no one about your whereabouts." He smiled sadly at Harry, "I'll leave you to get on with whatever it is that you're planning, I have a feeling that its something only you can do, I only want you to remember one thing. Just remember that if you need help, the order, and I, we are all here for you should you need anything or have any questions. Stay safe." He smiled again and walked away leaving the quartet alone again.

Looking at the graves of his parents, and their parents before them, Harry felt decidedly odd. Detached from the world as he knew it, and feeling humbled into thinking about his own mortality. He knew that he could very well die in his quest, something they all knew, anyone of them had the potential to die, and he wondered morbidly if he might be laying beside them sooner rather than later. The graves were surprisingly well kept.

"Harry?" Hermione's voice floated to him sounding hesitantly gentle, he turned to see her biting her nails. "Harry, there's something you should see." She pointed to a grave that stood near his parents' graves; it looked newer than the rest. As he read the tomb tears clouded his eyes.

_**In memoriam of Sirius Black (An honorary Potter)**_

_**Trusted friend, Loved Godfather and Celebrated Brother.**_

_**May you finally Rest In Peace.**_

_**Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.**_

**John 8:32**

A gentle hand wrapped itself around his waist and he found himself burying into the embrace. He sniffed and spoke to them softly, "I think he would have liked that."

"Did you see the carvings in the marble Harry?" He nodded, gripping her tighter. On each of his parents' stones and his godfather's you could see an emerald Lily creeping its way around the stone edge with a werewolf, a stag and a gigantic grim. Thankfully no rat adorned them. He turned and looked at each of them again, his mother's grave had fresh flowers adorning it, he wondered, puzzled who would have done that.

He knelt beside his mother's grave and ran his hand over it, curiously enough as soon as he had touched the stone all of the carvings had stopped moving. He heard Hermione gasp. He saw the carving of the Lily emerge until it hung out of the smooth stone. He tried to pry it out without any luck.

"I've read about this." Hermione told them kneeling beside Harry, "It's an old archaic form for leaving the families heir information about their inheritance! The last known person to use such a device was Dumbledore's father in 1847 when Dumbledore was born, it was a device used by the wealthy pure-blooded communities."

She met Harry's gaze head on. "The only way to retrieve whatever your mother has left for you is to give payment in kind. Your blood willingly given, that way it will determine that you are of her blood and that way no one else can impersonate you or force you to draw your inheritance."

Harry though about it for a moment.

"Anyone got a knife?"

End of Ch7

* * *

Thanks to: - Jenbunny, Us to Squibs, rdprice29, missy mee, Bill Hargridsson!

Special thanks to: - molly Arthur Weasley for (hopefully) agreeing to beta read my fic!

As always please Review! Let me know what you liked, what you disliked (constructive criticism only), whatever you want to say really it's nice hearing from you all.

Erin10 +


	8. Chapter Eight

**Harry Potter and the Return to Godric's Hollow by Erin10.**

**Spoiler Warning: -** This fiction contains spoilers from **HPB**. If you haven't read **HBP**, don't read my fic! It won't make sense and I don't want to spoil HBP for anyone! Consider yourself _warned!_ I won't be held responsible if you read this and then complain that I spoilt the book for you!

**Disclaimer: -** Everything belongs to J.K Rowling! I own nothing! This is written purely for my own enjoyment, and after the last book my sanity depends on it!

_**Very Special Thanks go to molly Arthur Weasley for beta reading my story! Thank you! You truly are a lifesaver Kim!**_

**Chapter Eight: - Lily Potter  
**

Hermione looked around quickly to see that no Muggles were around and then with a swish of her wand, she transfigured a twig into a sharp penknife. If the occasion hadn't been so important Harry might have laughed, Hermione was a brilliant witch, but he hadn't needed such an ornamental object, decorated with intricate little designs of Lily's around the handle. He looked at her, and sensing his thoughts she raised an eyebrow.

"Well it is a formal Wizarding custom even if it is an outdated one, did you really think I'd let you use a crude blade Harry?" She tutted slightly and a familiar burst of affection leapt from Harry's heart to her. She really was a thoughtful friend.

"I used a cleaning spell on it also so that the cut you make won't become infected." She added looking quite pleased with herself. He smiled slightly at her, grateful for her concern.

"Thanks." Harry muttered. He quickly sliced his palm like Dumbledore had in the cave, which made his friends gasp slightly. He ignored them in favour of watching the blood ooze from the semi deep cut impatiently. When he believed he had enough he let it trickle onto the frozen carving of the lily and with a rumble the carving immerged from the tombstone until Harry could free it from its enclosure.

He looked at the carving and realised with shock that the carving was in fact a marble bottle stopper. He frowned upon seeing the bottle, which held a milky substance, which he knew instantly to be a memory. Pondering this fact for several minutes he only broke out of his musings when Ron tapped him on the shoulder.

"Mate I think you should look inside that hole, there seems to be some… well… some miniature dolls things, but I can't get them out, must have a charm around the hole." Ron added smiling awkwardly at his best friend. Harry nodded and returned the smile.

He hesitantly put his hand inside the recess and pulled out a few items. They looked like they belonged in a miniature dolls house. He looked down at what seemed to be a letter, two books, another memory, and some kind of diary.

He placed them into his pocket and looked at his friends. "Do you mind if we go back to the tent now?" Harry asked them trying not to look as apprehensive about the items as he felt. No one had really told him much about his mother, he didn't even know who her friends were, all he really knew was that she was training to be a healer, that she was intelligent and had a gift with charms.

"Harry?" Ginny said looking at him tenderly. He looked at her and watched her take his hand gently looking at the gash that he had made. It was only then that he realised that the excess blood was dribbling down his hand.

She pointed her wand at the cut and murmuring a few words, she healed it for him. He smiled grateful, one thing he hadn't studied was healing charms, he didn't even know the basics. He thanked her and then turned to more pressing matters.

"Shall we go then? Only I thought we could stop at that bakery in town on the way back and pick some things up for lunch." Harry decided hearing Ron's stomach growl. Ron grinned.

"Boy's! It's only ten o'clock, you only ate an hour and a half ago." Hermione said smiling slightly.

* * *

They stood in the bakery, Adams family bakery with sensuous, delicious smells coming from the counters. Ron and Ginny had never stepped foot inside a bakery, reliant on Mrs. Weasley to supply them with pumpkin pasties and other little treats. Ron, Harry noticed feeling very amused, looked like a five year old in a sweet shop, Ginny looked to be only marginally keeping herself in control. Hermione looked at Harry and smiled, she too found the situation laughable. 

Ron had his face inches away from the glass cabinets that housed the confectionary of doughnuts, chocolate éclairs, cream slices and other deserts. The assistant who looked to be around sixty, and whom Harry guessed was probably the owner and father of the family looked at Ron with unshed good humour in his blue eyes.

"We'll I must say my treats usually get that response from the little 'uns but never before from a grown man." He smiled kindly as Ron peeled his cheek from the glass and blushed.

"You'll have to excuse my friend here, he doesn't get out much." Harry replied watching Ron's blush rapidly spread down his neck, and disappearing into his shirt collar.

"No, he's a bit funny in the head, he didn't mean offence." Ginny chipped in smirking at her brother.

"Granddad, Nan's back from Sainsbury's. She's got that flour you wanted." A dreamy voice floated out from the back, and a few seconds later the foursome were shocked to see Luna Lovegood walk into the room. She peered at the four of them looking surprised to see people standing there.

"You know, my friend Ronald blushes like you do, I've often wondered how far his blush actually goes." She said in an offhand tone, making Hermione frown, Ginny giggle, Harry smirk, and Ron blushed even brighter.

"I say." She peered at him even closer. "Maybe you should visit the healer about that, I've heard that a person only blushed that brightly when they're standing too close to scurvy wart-grass." She smiled dreamily and her grandfather coughed, looking very uncomfortable.

"Maybe you should go and help Ida, Luna." The man spoke softly, Harry heard him continue in a whisper to her. "You know you're not supposed to talk about that stuff in front of Muggles you're fathers told you before."

"They aren't Muggles Grandfather, they've got illusions charms placed all around them to change their appearance." She replied the dreamy look not as pronounced.

Ron shifted uncomfortably, Hermione was still frowning and Ginny looked uncomfortable also. Harry, who had felt very guilty when Luna had been reprimanded, felt even guiltier for deceiving Luna even though they had never meant to do so. They were after all, supposed to be friends with this eccentric girl, and he felt that she had been cheated, hurt and lied to enough by her fellow Ravenclaws who hid her possessions and treated her as though she were a freak, and he after all knew how that felt.

"She's right." He spoke up, deciding that they could trust Luna with at least knowing who they actually were. "We didn't mean to deceive you Luna. We thought this was a Muggle bakery, and I didn't want anyone to know who we really are."

The old man looked alarmed whereas Luna smiled brilliantly.

"This is a Muggle bakery Harry, My grandparents are Muggles." She told him her eyes surveying each of them in turn. "Granddad this is Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ronald and Ginny Weasley. My friends, you remember me telling you about them from school?"

Mr. Adams relaxed then smiling at them all but looking at Harry with an odd glint in his eye which Harry wondered about. Harry wondered why he wasn't shocked to find that she had guessed who each of them was so easily, she was after all a Ravenclaw.

"How did you know…" Ron began but trailed off as Luna smiled brilliantly again.

"I knew it was Harry when he spoke, then I guessed you would all be with him, I knew it was you because you always blush like you're standing next to scurvy wart-grass, Hermione usually looks tense and she was frowning at me in disapproval like she usually does, Ginny, you giggled which Hermione rarely does." She said dreamily, in her usual blunt forthrightness.

"So Ronald, how far down your body does your blush actually go?" She questioned making him blush like a beacon, Ginny laughed almost hysterically clinging onto Harry for support, he smiled, and Hermione blushed knowingly.

* * *

With the promise of calling into the Adams's for dinner, and with a carrier bag full of goodies, the quartet were back at the tent sitting around the kitchen table with the pensive on the table as we'll as all of the possessions his mother had left him beside it. Hermione had resized the objects and Harry was busy opening his mother's letter. 

_To my Son, Harry_

_Writing this is one of the hardest things I have had to face as a parent, especially knowing that this is in affect my last memoir for you. I hope that you never have to read this, at least, not until you're old and grey yourself and your father and I have died of natural causes, having watched you grow, marry, have children, and fulfil any dreams or burning ambitions that you have… but deep in my heart, I fear that we may never have the pleasure of watching you grow._

_The war against Voldermort and his Death Eaters is not progressing, as we would like. He's winning, and we, we are dying or going missing at an alarming rate, and Headmaster Dumbledore is looking tired, aged, in fact this war is taking its toll on each of us in it's own way._

_I fear however that this war will take its toll on you, the hardest of us all. You my precious child could apparently be the key to destroying the monster, and I am deeply afraid for you._

_As I write this, you're laying in your cot, fast asleep dreaming of catching snitches, flying on broomsticks and cuddling your ragged old Lion teddy that you love so much. Its hard to imagine a toddler, my child, could one day be the saviour of the world, but Dumbledore insists on the validity of the prophecy which, by now you should be aware of, and he seems as worried for you and Neville as much I as am._

_At the moment we do not know which one of you it will be, but the fates will show us soon, and I am terrified that it will be you, because I see the signs as clearly as Albus does. Mars is extraordinarily bright, and it's getting brighter. _

_You father is blissfully unaware of the prophecy, as I believe Frank Longbottom to also be. It is not an ideal situation but we do know that someone close to us is betraying information, one of their friends and your father and Frank have enough burdens placed upon them. To add another burden… the most heart breaking of them all could lead to their downfall. This is also a lesson for you my child, as Albus would say 'Tell only those who need to know and no others.' _

_You should know that your father works for the Department of Mysteries, and I know nothing of what he does except that he has been commissioned to try and find a counter curse for the three unforgivables. At the moment, I don't believe that his research is going very well. I have offered my assistance, but he declined, I shouldn't even know that he works for that department. He is afraid that I will be obliviated and he discharged from service should they find out. Tell no one of his work my child. _

_Anything else you need to know in the event of my death is in the belongings that I have left for you. To open my diary say: - "Alice in Wonderland," That book was incidentally, my favourite book when I was a child and didn't know I was a Witch. Dumbledore likes to use Muggle passwords because so-called pureblooded bigots would never stoop so low as to know anything concerning Muggles, this should also be useful information for you. _

_Just know that your father and I love you more than life itself and that no one person is perfect my child, we all make mistakes, it's up to you to forgive those who stray. We shall be going into hiding very soon, as will the Longbottoms._

_With all my heart,_

_Your mother._

Harry stared at the letter, frowning.

He looked around the table remembering what his mother had said about trusting people. The less people who knew your secrets greatly improved the chances of those secrets being revealed. He trusted all of the people at the table with his life, and, he supposed that he also trusted them with his mothers secrets.

Ginny rubbed his hand slightly in comfort, although she didn't say anything, she just let him be.

He then turned to the diary. This was the second time that he had been left a diary, one from Dumbledore that he had yet to open and one from his mother. He opened her diary saying the words, aloud; startling the others, and making sure his voice didn't break.

The others looked at him in different states of puzzlement. Harry smiled, "It was my mother's favourite book before she knew about Magic."

Hermione laughed, "That's quite ironic Harry, when Professor McGonagall took my parents and I to Diagon Alley for the first time, I felt like Alice. I felt like I'd fallen down a rabbit hole into an extraordinary different world. Your mother must have felt like that too."

Harry smiled slightly and nodded, he had, had a similar experience when Hagrid had collected him to get his school things too.

Ron and Ginny however still looked bewildered.

"Alice in Wonderland was written in the eighteenth century by a British writer named Lewis Carroll. It's about a little girl who follows a rabbit that can talk down a rabbit hole, and finds an extraordinary world full of talking animals and mad hatters. Lewis Carroll was of course a Muggle. It's a children's book."

Harry nodded and looked at the first page of his mother's diary entitled…

For my son Harry, 

_Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free._

He turned the next page.

_I had an interesting meeting today at work. On my lunch break Marietta told me that I had a visitor in my office. I thought it would be one of three people, Remus Lupin, My James or Albus Dumbledore as each of them visit me now and again if they are in Diagon Alley but my visitor was none of these people._

_Imagine my surprise when the visitor lowered his hood. If James or Sirius were to know that he had come here, to see me, then blood might very well have been spilt. I knew that it was probably unwise to stay and chat but he asked politely to be able to explain his actions before I threw him out. So I did, I heard him out and now I don't know what to do._

_I could tell James, but he is a rash man who hates my visitor with a passion. He would discard anything my visitor had to say with a pinch of salt, laughing at the news I've been given._

_I could tell Sirius, but that is also unwise as he would rant and rave and… well… I know that I can't tell him. He would only hinder me._

_I could tell Remus, except he's never around much anymore, something Dumbledore had him doing which is highly dangerous, top secret and… something to do with the underground colony of werewolves I think. James and Sirius are suspicious of his true loyalties but I'm not… I don't doubt that Remus Lupin is on the side of light, I know he is. He would never turn dark._

_I could tell Peter except we've never really clicked the way I have with the other Marauders. I hardly know who Peter actually is; he certainly isn't one on my friends, not like Sirius or especially Remus._

_I know. It's so blindingly obvious I haven't seen her since she started her training as a spell creator but she's still one of my best friends. I'll tell Cassandra Adams. She'll know what to do. I hope she isn't with Teddy Lovegood though; not that his conspiracies and beliefs aren't interesting because they are, but I have other more pressing matters on my mind… why did he have to come to me? Why in the name of Merlin did he think I'd be able to help him? Merlin help me, this is getting too deep._

Harry stopped reading and looked at them horrified. If only she had told Dumbledore, maybe things wouldn't have turned out so bad in the end.

**End ch8**

Authors notes: - Poor Lily! Anyway the mystery surrounding Lily should be solved soon, so who do you think her mystery guest was? Lmao. Hopefully I'll update sooner, all my University assignments have been completed until the New Year so fingers crossed.

Reviews are always nice to have, (hint, hint) review my fic please! Make my day!

Review Responses: -

**Morgan B. Potter**: - Mmmm, I've been thinking about that and whilst being pushy is in her character it should tone down, I mean Harry's not exactly the submissive type so there might be some arguments. You don't have to worry, I didn't take it the wrong way because I value everyone's opinions and I probably wouldn't have noticed that she's excessively pushy, but like I said it should tone down! Thank you for your wonderful comments!

**lizlovegood12:** - Lupin will pop in from time to time. He's busy with Tonks at the moment, Lmao.

And thanks also go to: - **bledddingblakrose, Talix and Elizabeth Theresa!**

Thank you for reviewing!

Next Chapter: - Mysterious guest might be answered. Dinner with Luna, Harry broods, and the Daily Prophet has a field day!

R/R

Erin10


End file.
